Please help me support these adolescents that are still developing have the chance to a different future.

We need to urge our leaders and lawmakers to reform the juvenile justice system by prioritizing rehabilitation over punishment, especially for minors who have committed crimes. Our current system often treats youth as adults, sentencing them harshly and denying them the chance to rehabilitate. We must shift our approach to offer these young individuals the opportunity to turn their lives around, breaking harmful cycles and creating better outcomes for both them and society. Currently the U.S. is the only place that charges minors to life without parole.

It is important to recognize that youth crime is not just about criminal behavior; it’s about the environment in which young people grow up. Many youth who find themselves in legal trouble come from disadvantaged backgrounds, often facing poverty, lack of family support, and limited access to positive role models or opportunities. Even my brother grew up in similar circumstances, but was fortunate to avoid the same path as many of his friends who became involved in legal trouble, dropped out of school, or even lost their lives. While our family had financial stability and the opportunity to engage in sports and other activities, many of the young people in our community do not have the same advantages. This injustice is critical to understanding the underlying causes of youth crime.

The current punitive approach is not effective in addressing the root causes of juvenile delinquency. States that sentence minors as adults subject them to harsh conditions that often result in long-term physical and mental harm. According to Delinquency in Society, before the creation of the modern juvenile justice system, young people were treated as adults under the law. This approach failed to account for the psychological development of minors, and it continues to harm children as young as 13, who are tried as adults in many states. This must change.

Youth crime is often rooted in difficult environments. As someone who has studied human development and criminology, I have learned that factors like poverty and family instability play a significant role in shaping behavior. When children grow up in an environment where their parents are overwhelmed with financial stress, they often lack the support needed to succeed academically and socially. They may not have access to extracurricular activities or role models who can inspire them to aim for something better. We need to create pathways for these young people to succeed, instead of subjecting them to harsh punishment without addressing the causes of their behavior.

To break the cycle of youth crime, we must focus on alternatives to incarceration. Programs like community service, probation, and psychological evaluations should be prioritized over detention. These programs allow youth to address the root causes of their behavior, receive support, and learn skills that can help them build better futures. Moreover, investing in programs that provide resources for education, job training, and mentorship will provide these youth with the tools they need to succeed in life.

Countries like Germany have shown that a focus on rehabilitation rather than punishment can lead to better outcomes for young offenders. In Germany, minors are not incarcerated for long periods unless absolutely necessary. The approach focuses on understanding and addressing the needs of young people, providing them with a chance to turn their lives around. The United States can learn from these examples and implement more rehabilitative measures, especially for youth who come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

In conclusion, it is time to evolve the juvenile justice system. We need to move away from a system that punishes youth for their mistakes and instead offer them the opportunity to rehabilitate, grow, and contribute positively to society. By addressing the root causes of juvenile crime and offering support, we can break harmful cycles and create a safer, more supportive community for all.

I want to begin by changing the system in Colorado. Colorado is currently getting lot of adolescents in legal trouble. I want to file a petition to the legislators in the Colorado general Assembly. The most important part is that in order to allow other states to make this decision they must see the change here first.

 

Thank you for taking the time to consider the youth of America in the sysyem and I hope that I can answer any further questions.

 

Hazel Cardenas

720 7745308

 

You may also contact the legislatures (Senators and Representatives) 

Website: ado.gov/legislators

The email and number of all the senators is also on the website