A week ago today, an important conversation began in our community as a result of tragic failure of criminal justice, law enforcement and school security policy. At Lucious and Emma Nixon Academy in Orlando, six-year old student Kaia Rolle was wrongly arrested, transported to the Juvenile Center and processed in a complete violation of her rights. 

This excerpt from commentary published by National Juvenile Defender Center encapsulates the problem -- "In those states without a statutory minimum, there is nothing legally preventing the state from prosecuting even the youngest of children.  This runs contrary to all of the scientific research and emerging case law that recognizes children are inherently less culpable than adults and that the younger a person, the less competent he or she may be". This blind-spot in our legal system is highlighted by what happens to thousands of students across the country, just like Kaia. The State of Florida is one of 28 states in the union, with no minimum age for prosecution. We believe that an important part of achieving justice for Kaia Rolle is to ensure that this can't happen to the next child. 

We call on local leadership, as well as, the state legislature, the Governor, and criminal justice advocates from all across the state of Florida to join together, and directly address our state's lack of a minimum age requirement for legal prosecution.

If you or your organization would like to assist in this fight against the criminalization of our youth, please send us an email: justice4kaiarolle@gmail.com