Private Project

Don't Abandon Us: Addressing Youth, Crime, and Trauma

This short documentary by the Justice Policy Institute (JPI) examines the intersection of childhood trauma and future engagement with the criminal legal system. The film introduces the audience to Alonzo Turner-Bey and Roszetta Timmons, both of whom suffered very serious challenges in their childhoods and subsequent criminal legal system involvement. They describe how their traumatic experiences progressively led them to decades of incarceration, and how failures within the juvenile legal system to help address their trauma impacted their lives. Helping youth truly heal can better help them rehabilitate into productive, happier adults—and at the same time, make our communities safer.

**Documentary Made Possible by Funding Through the Anne E. Casey Foundation**

  • Nora Rapport
    Director
  • Justice Policy Institute
    Producer
  • Alonzo Turner-Bey
    Key Cast
  • Roszetta Timmons
    Key Cast
  • Karl Racine
    Key Cast
  • Anne E. Casey Foundation
    Funders
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Genres:
    Criminal Justice, Juvenile Justice
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 2 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 14, 2023
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Nora Rapport

Nora is a filmmaker with 15+ years of experience in creating media that makes an impact. She’s especially passionate about championing conservation and wildlife, science and education, and social issues, but her work delves into a diverse range of topics.

Nora attended the S.I. Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, where she studied Television, Radio, and Film. After working for the American Film Institute and BBC, she went on to National Geographic, where one of her many projects included co-creating, producing, and editing the organization’s first-ever and longest-running digital series. As a Senior Producer for Conservation International, Nora managed CI’s post-production for Jackson Hole Science Media Award winner and Tribeca Film Festival official selection “My Africa” VR film, and she also made short films about CI’s work to protect nature around the world. Since founding Nora Rappaport Productions, her work has spanned documentary, educational, sizzle, commercial, social, digital, and high-profile event films.

In her free time, Nora is usually surrounded by any number of animals. She has two dogs and has fostered more than 90 animals for local animal rescues. She has an especially soft spot for black and tan mutts, which inspired the Nora Rappaport Productions logo

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