The Juvenile Justice System Punishes Black and Brown Youth for Minor Infractions
Teen Vogue, May 13, 2022: The Juvenile Justice System Punishes Black and Brown Youth for Minor Infractions
“As a youth defense attorney in Brooklyn, for the past five years, I witnessed firsthand the criminalization of young people. New York City is often hailed for its diversity, yet the overwhelming majority of children I have represented are Black and Latino/a. I could probably count on one hand the number of white youth I have represented.
“Many people assume that when kids are arrested and appear in court, they must have done something terrible. But most of the children being pushed into the juvenile court system are there because they had been acting like a typical teenager — they just weren’t able to get away with it because of their race and ethnicity.
“Every day, young people across the country find themselves enmeshed in the juvenile court system, often for common adolescent behaviors such as skipping school, drinking alcohol, or getting in a fight. Once they are involved in the system, juvenile courts can unleash the power of the state to put them in shackles, place them in confinement, surveil their movements, impose fees and fines that can cause lasting debt, and permanently mark their record. All of this can occur without a lawyer by their side to explain what is happening, strategize with them, and defend their case.”
