• 68% of the students said there were not any good books to read at the Center.

This figure dropped to 5% in our most recent survey.

• 33% said they did not like to read.

Our most recent survey shows that only 3% are now making this claim.

• 87.5% said it was not easy to get books to read at the Center.

Only 6% report this currently.

• 81% had never heard a published author speak before incarceration.

After an author visit, a full 60% wanted to read more books by the authors they had seen, and 63% said they learned

If peace was a sound, that would be quiet.
If peace was a plant, it would be a red rose.
If peace was weather, what weather would it be, it would be rain.
If peace was a song, it would be jazz.
If peace was a season, it would be winter.
If peace was a color it would be brown.


If the world was peace, peace would be me.
I am a red rose.
I am rain.
I'm jazz.
I¹m winter.
I¹m brown.


Joyce, student

A culture of excitement and motivation to read has been established at Juvenile the Juvenile Justice Center. The youth now value and embrace books and what they offer.

• 132,000 books a year are circulated and read by over 3,000 incarcerated students a year.

• Recent evaluations show a gain of over seven grade levels in reading comprehension in our tutoring program.

• 98% of books “book-talked” or recommended by the librarian are checked out and read by students.