The Rethinking DC Youth and Policing Program  

A New Narrative on Youth Diversion and Policing at GW

Our Story 

 

The Rethinking D.C. Youth and Policing Program (Rethinking D.C), was a two-year research scholarship cohort in partnership with the Honey W. Nashman Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service and the GW Sociology Department from 2020-2022. This program sought to actively understand the practices and procedures of the Metropolitan Police Department to drive down youth arrests and divert youth from the criminal justice system. 

This program began in June of 2020 when The George Washington University Black Student Union (GWU BSU) in collaboration with our partner D.C.-area Black Student Unions (Georgetown University, American University, and Catholic University) partnered together to pen a letter to the Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Peter Newsham and Mayor Muriel Bowser. These unions decided to take action in direct response to the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. This was an act of solidarity to demonstrate the collective unity of thousands of area students.

 

The letter detailed our demands concerning the youth of the District and actionable reforms largely surrounding reducing youth arrests. With the swift response of the MPD, student leaders were able to directly ask questions and engage in meaningful conversations with department leaders who shared extensively how they were addressing the demands. These conversations were the foundation of what is now known today as The BSU and Nashman Center Rethinking D.C. Youth and Policing project. 

 

This BSU-led program was inspired by the vision of Bishop Walton (BSU Chief of Staff 2020-2021) and influenced by Kylie Foster (BSU VP of Community Outreach 2020-2021 Chief of Staff 2021-2022), Amy Cohen (Executive Director of the Honey W. Nashman Center of Civic Engagement and Service), Dr. Fran Buntman (Director of Graduate Studies and Associate Professor, GW Sociology Department), Dr. Ebony Russ (Nashman Doctoral Fellow and Professor), and Madison Sampson (Doctoral Candidate and Graduate Assistant).