A 501(c)(3) Charity
Disrupting the school
to prison pipeline
We provide complete support and advocacy for at-risk youth who have faced legal challenges. We help them gain the skills they need to succeed fully. Learn how the School-to-Prison Pipeline reduces educational chances and unfairly targets students of color and those with disabilities.
Our Vision
A world free of the criminalization of youth
CALL US
717.278.2676
How CAJA Helps At Risk Youth
In partnership with parents & guardians, we provide long term evidenced-based support, advocacy, aid and assistance for “positively motivated” at risk youth offenders.
Support
To reintegrate disconnected, adjudicated at risk youth into their communities in a positive and productive manner.
Advocacy
To ensure youth have a successful transition into adulthood by assisting and providing resources, as needed.
Aid & Assistance
To help provide the necessary legal aid to youth as well as the access to counseling and substance abuse treatment.
What we do
Helping our teens since 2019
About us
Who we are
Coatesville Area Juvenile Alliance (CAJA) is a nonprofit 501(c)3 faith based agency. Our goal is to partner with parents and law enforcement to reduce recidivism by providing long term support and advocacy for positively motivated youth offenders ages 11 to 18 years old. In addition, we aim to reduce youth violence, truancy and curfew violations. We provide free mental health counseling and legal representation for youth offenders and families as well as guaranteed employment upon high school graduation or a GED.
Join the cause
Empower a young life today
From our founder
Laurie Shannon-Bailey
As the founder of CAJA – The Coatesville Area Juvenile Alliance, I bring a deeply personal and passionate approach to youth justice advocacy. Having overcome significant challenges, including childhood trauma, domestic violence, and growing up in poverty, my life’s journey has shaped me into a fervent advocate for positive change.
I am not just a survivor, but a living testament to resilience and faith. Now, as a proud mother and a devout follower of my faith, I dedicate myself to guiding youth offenders towards a brighter future. At CAJA, we channel our efforts into offering second chances and transforming lives through comprehensive support, mentoring, mental health counseling, and legal representation, all underpinned by our commitment to faith and community.
Transform a future
Your donation creates pathways
A mother’s gratitude
Nina Ortiz
In the heart of Coatesville’s community, a story of unimaginable loss and resilience unfolds through the words of Nina Ortiz, a mother who faced every parent’s worst nightmare. In February 2022, her world was shattered when a tragic incident involving an unsecured firearm changed her family forever, leaving her eldest son, Victor, navigating a tumultuous sea of legal battles, personal remorse, and the profound sorrow of losing his younger brother. Nina’s heartfelt testimonial for CAJA is a poignant reminder of the fragility of life and the strength found in the face of adversity. Her story, filled with both despair and determination, underscores the crucial work CAJA does in supporting families torn by tragedy and advocating for change within our community.
My family and I can’t say enough great things about Laurie and CAJA. They are God-fearing and deeply care about helping people in need, especially vulnerable children and those in the unjust juvenile justice system. They are determined, professional, thorough and nothing short of exceptional. Laurie continues to support me and my two younger children through compassionate advocacy and through CAJA’s certified special education advocacy services by attending my children’s individual education program meetings. These meetings are complicated and extremely difficult to understand because I do not understand my parental rights and the special education process nor special education laws. I am very thankful for all that Laurie and CAJA has done and continue to do in support of my family.