The Citizen Recommends

Marsha Levick at TEDxPhilly

The Juvenile Law Center co-founder is this year’s Philadelphia Prize recipient

The Citizen Recommends

Marsha Levick at TEDxPhilly

The Juvenile Law Center co-founder is this year’s Philadelphia Prize recipient

Over two million children are arrested each year in the United States, many of them sent to prison for years. A lucky number of those children in Pennsylvania get Marsha Levick as their attorney, including a girl in Luzerne County whose overly harsh sentence unraveled a corrupt juvenile court system that sent hundreds of children to detention centers unfairly. Last year, she led a team that won a Supreme Court ruling in favor of allowing children who had been sentenced to life in prison to gain the possibility of parole. Levick does the hard, and hard-to-bear, work that many of us would rather not face. For her decades of work for children and women, Levick was just named the 2015 recipient of the Philadelphia Award, the city’s highest civic honor.

Below, watch Levick’s 2015 TEDx talk, a necessary look at American justice.

Photo header: Juvenile Law Center


Like what you’re reading about Marsha Levick? Stay updated on all our coverage. Here’s how:

Advertising Terms

We do not accept political ads, issue advocacy ads, ads containing expletives, ads featuring photos of children without documented right of use, ads paid for by PACs, and other content deemed to be partisan or misaligned with our mission. The Philadelphia Citizen is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan organization and all affiliate content will be nonpartisan in nature. Advertisements are approved fully at The Citizen's discretion. Advertisements and sponsorships have different tax-deductible eligibility. For questions or clarification on these conditions, please contact Director of Sales & Philanthropy Kristin Long at KL@thephiladelphiacitizen.org or call (609)-602-0145.

Photo and video disclaimer for attending Citizen events

By entering an event or program of The Philadelphia Citizen, you are entering an area where photography, audio and video recording may occur. Your entry and presence on the event premises constitutes your consent to be photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded and to the release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction of any and all recorded media of your appearance, voice, and name for any purpose whatsoever in perpetuity in connection with The Philadelphia Citizen and its initiatives, including, by way of example only, use on websites, in social media, news and advertising. By entering the event premises, you waive and release any claims you may have related to the use of recorded media of you at the event, including, without limitation, any right to inspect or approve the photo, video or audio recording of you, any claims for invasion of privacy, violation of the right of publicity, defamation, and copyright infringement or for any fees for use of such record media. You understand that all photography, filming and/or recording will be done in reliance on this consent. If you do not agree to the foregoing, please do not enter the event premises.