Announcing Clinton Lacey as the 2026 Recipient of the Shay Bilchik Award for Innovation in Youth Justice
Posted in Announcements FCI-Blog JRF News
We are pleased to announce that Clinton Lacey will be the recipient of the 2026 Shay Bilchik Award for Innovation in Youth Justice!
Throughout his career, Clinton Lacey has consistently demonstrated a commitment to improve the lives of youth, and challenged the field to think differently about how we engage and support young people. From his leadership at the W. Haywood Burns Institute and the Vera Institute of Justice, to his tenure at NYC Department of Probation and DC DYRS, to his building and advancing the Credible Messenger movement at CM3, he has been at the forefront of reimagining what youth justice can be.
Beyond his many accomplishments, he has also been an exceptional partner to us at CYJ, including through our Certificate Programs, JJLN, conferences, webinars, and more. His willingness to collaborate, share his expertise, challenge conventional thinking, and inspire others has strengthened our work and advanced our shared vision of a youth justice system grounded in healing, opportunity, and hope.
In short, his career reflects the very qualities that Shay Bilchik has exemplified throughout his own: visionary leadership, an unwavering belief in the potential of young people, and a commitment to transforming systems so they better serve those who need them most. We cannot think of a more deserving recipient.
About the Shay Bilchik Award for Innovation in Youth Justice
The Center for Youth Justice launched the Shay Bilchik Award for Innovation in Youth Justice last year to honor Shay, whose lifetime commitment to creating positive outcomes for youth and families in the youth justice and child welfare systems is an inspiration to us all. Each year, CYJ issues the award to an individual or organization that has partnered with the Center to advance innovative transformation in youth justice. Dr. Denise Herz, whose work on Crossover Youth has advanced positive outcomes for kids and communities, was the inaugural recipient of the award in 2025.
Celebrate Clinton Lacey with us on September 10th at America’s Youth Justice Story
Join us on September 10th as we celebrate Clinton Lacey’s work at our 2026 Janet Reno Forum, America’s Youth Justice Story: Unearthing the Past and Reimagining the Next Chapter! Hosted on Georgetown University’s Capitol Hill Campus, the Forum will bring together advocates and artists to explore the past, present, and future of the American youth justice story through the lens of creative expression and truth-telling.
We’ll analyze current narratives, unearth the heartbreaking past that is now coming to light through the Forgotten Children Initiative, celebrate stories of success, and reimagine what the next chapter of youth justice should look like. Spotlight speakers include Emmy-winning journalists, award-winning authors, and leaders in youth justice:
- Tananarive Due, a leading voice in Black speculative fiction and award-winning author of The Reformatory
- Erin Kimmerle, forensic anthropologist, artist, and author of We Carry Their Bones: The Search for Justice at the Dozier School for Boys
- Clinton Lacey, President and CEO of the Credible Messenger Mentoring Movement (CM3).
- Michel Martin, Emmy-winning journalist and host of NPR’s Morning Edition
- Vincent Schiraldi, The Doris Duke Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy and former Maryland Secretary of Juvenile Services
- Liz Ryan, Stanley S. Nelson Distinguished Practitioner for Justice Reporting & Communications at Louisiana State University and former OJJDP Administrator
We’ll also be joined by family members of the Forgotten Children and members of the Maryland Commission on the House of Reformation and Instruction for Colored Children, including Dorothy Givens and Phyllis Hammond.
Outside of the panels, we’ll be opening with incredible musical artists, premiering a short documentary from a filmmaker, and celebrating and showcasing work from justice-driven and system-impacted artists.