Protecting children is fundamental. Even youth who commit serious crimes deserve a chance at rehabilitation. The U.S. Supreme Court, the Centers for Disease Control and mental health experts stress the need for children, with their still-developing brains, impulsive nature, and increased vulnerability to negative influences, to be treated differently. Adult jails and prisons have insufficient educational opportunities, psychiatric services, vocational training, and other essential services in order to meet the needs of still developing youth. Youth are also at an increased risk for sexual assault and suicide while in adult criminal justice facilities. That’s without mentioning the barriers to successfully reentering society like limited access to education, employment, housing, and democratic participation. Furthermore, studies overwhelmingly have shown that youth who do adult time are much more likely to reoffend, in comparison to those youth who are housed in the juvenile justice system or in their home communities. When youth are held accountable within a system that is age-appropriate and rehabilitative, research shows they generally outgrow their criminal behavior and become participating members of society. Are we really willing to define a teenager by his/her worst act and invest tens of thousands of dollars in making them a better criminal?
