Brittany joined the Tow Youth Justice Institute in April 2022 as the Project Manager for the Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee, the legislative body that works to reform to the juvenile justice system. Brittany has a strong background in juvenile justice system issues as well as experience in the areas of policy advancement and engaging multiple stakeholders. Ms. LaMarr has over six years of experience working within the Connecticut State legislature including work with the Secretary of State in 2013 and a U.S. Senator in 2012. In her work with Capitol Strategies Group, LLC, she monitored, tracked, researched, and analyzed state and federal public policy and legislation, and wrote reports and briefings that were used to refute adverse legislation to sustain programs. During her time at STAND, USA, Brittany coordinated grassroots advocacy strategy and wrote op-eds on international human rights atrocities. In her most recent job with the Journey Home in Hartford, she coordinated outreach for the Greater Hartford and Central Community Action Network, representing 39 towns and cities. She worked with outreach coordinators, providers, shelters, social services, police departments, hospitals, and other stakeholders to connect individuals experiencing homelessness with services, programs, and shelters.
Brittany has and continues to be involved in many projects that support youth. She has consulted with the American Youth Policy Forum in Hartford to prepare for a policy forum with elected officials, state agencies, and non-profits. She led the panel, providing talking points on youth justice reform and creating points of action. Ms. LaMarr has been a Justice Advisor with the Connecticut Justice Alliance organizing and participating in numerous vision sessions in youth facilities, police departments, communities, universities, and juvenile review boards. She collaborated with state and national partners, including Youth First and the ACLU, to improve conditions for system-involved youth and advocated for the ending of the criminalization of youth. She conducted qualitative and quantitative research on the root issues and system failures that push youth people into the system.
Brittany is known nationally and has been a panelist and speaker for the Juvenile Crime Forum hosted by Reps Leeper and McCarthy Vahey, the UCONN IMRP webinar on Youth Car Theft, the Vera Institute of Justice Looking Ahead: Envisioning College in Prison Through the Eyes of HEP Graduates, and the National Juvenile Justice Institute’s Covering the Youth Justice Beat: Avoiding Stereotypes and the Criminalization of Youth of Color in Reporting. Brittany was also a Quinnipiac University Delegate at the National Conference on Higher Ed in Prison and was a Combat Engineer Specialist with the U.S. Army National Guard, 250th Engineer Company. She has a BA in Political Science from UCONN and is currently pursuing a Masters’ in Public Policy with a Human Rights focus. She is an Access to Law School Program Fellow and is interested in pursuing a law degree. Brittany lives in Cromwell with her two sons.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]