Black History Month 2004 Local Heroes:
James Bell
Director, W. Haywood Burns Institute
James Bell has worked as an advocate for youth for over 20 years and during that time he has seen too many young people of color detained in juvenile hall. As founder and director of the W. Haywood Burns Institute, he has been a leader in devising and implementing strategies to change the policies and practices that discriminate against youth of color. Today, the Institute works with nine local jurisdictions to reduce the disproportionality of youth of color in their juvenile justice systems. Prior to founding the Institute, he served as a staff attorney at the Youth Law Center in San Francisco, representing incarcerated youth. He also has extensive experience in the international juvenile justice arena, helping the African National Congress in the administration of the juvenile justice system in South Africa and training government officials on the human rights of children in Cambodia, Kenya, Brazil and France.
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