For youth from distressed communities, the gateway into the juvenile justice system can be the beginning of a treacherous road to adulthood. Recent studies have causally linked juvenile incarceration with higher high school dropout and adult incarceration rates, which have subsequently reduced labor market and social engagement outcomes for a population that is overwhelmingly represented by minorities. Despite extensive investment and planning by public and private stakeholders in Baltimore City, the battle to curb youth crime and recidivism has been an uphill one. In this paper, the authors propose introducing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) -based interventions in select Baltimore City Public Schools and the Baltimore City Juvenile Justice Center (BCJJC). In addition, they propose a "demonstration and evaluation" of CBT in Baltimore City, enabling a focus on resources in the highest areas of need. The proposal has two primary goals: (1) Use CBT to channel youth out of the school-to-prison pipeline; and (2) Emphasize local high-risk schools as key partners in delivering CBT-based violence prevention methods. First, the authors introduce the concept of CBT and provide a detailed literature review on its use in high-risk adolescents. This is followed by a description of the current condition of Baltimore crime and juvenile delinquency compared to the state of Maryland via an expository empirical analysis over the past four years. Next, the authors detail their policy recommendations for the proposed CBT pilot. They conclude with a discussion of limitations, barriers to entry, and mitigating factors. [For the accompanying appendices, see ED625746.]