Dec. 14, 2013

Juvenile justice advocates gather to honor 'heroes'

San Francisco-based public interest law firm Youth Law Center held its 2013 Loren Warboys Unsung Heroes reception Monday at Bingham McCutchen's San Francisco office. The event bestowed four Unsung Heroes awards on individuals supporting the organization's mission – to protect abused and at-risk children, especially those in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Honorees included Scott Budnick, the president of Green Hat Films and producer of the well-known "Hangover" movie series. Budnick was recognized for his advocacy in Sacramento on behalf of youth in the justice system, and for his work launching the Anti-Recidivism Coalition, an organization of high-achieving formerly incarcerated young adults dedicated to stopping the flow of people into the criminal justice system. Lily Eagle Dorman Coby, a former foster youth, and Scott Feigelson were acknowledged for their role as foster parents for an Intensive Treatment Foster Care teenager, who because of a history of self-destructive behavior or other challenging behavior would otherwise have been placed in a group home. Feigelson is a deputy U.S. Marshal for the Northern District, and Dorman Coby is a UC Berkeley School of Law student. Tung Nguyen, who spent 18 years in prison for a crime he committed as a youth, was honored for his work to enact a sentencing review process for young offenders tried in the adult criminal system for crimes committed when they were under 18. The legislation, SB 260, was signed into law in September. Finally, the event recognized Mark Soler, executive director of the Center for Children's Law and Policy in Washington, D.C., who has spent more than 30 years working on juvenile justice reform. — Jill Patton