Interview with Shay Bilchik, By Josh Caplan
Abstract
Crossover youth are youth who were maltreated and involved in the child welfare system, but then commit a crime and “crossover” into the juvenile justice system. Shay Bilchik has devoted his career to gaining a better understanding of this population and informing policymakers at the local, state, and federal levels on how best to prevent youth from crossing over and treating those who do. Mr. Bilchik is the founder and director of the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform at the Georgetown Public Policy Institute (GPPI). Prior to joining Georgetown, he was the President and CEO of the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA). In 2001, 2004, 2005, and 2006, he was named among The NonProfit Times Power and Influence Top 50 for his work on child welfare issues. He was also previous the administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) in the US Department of Justice. He spoke with The Review about at-risk youth, the juvenile justice system, and options for reform.