8.8 Conclusion
The Sentencing Project conducted a study of all the evidence available on incarcerating youth and found “that incarceration is an ineffective strategy for steering youth away from delinquent behavior and that high rates of youth incarceration do not improve public safety” (Mendel, 2023, para. 2). They further argued that locking up kids causes additional long-term harm and is not necessary in most cases. Locking up youth in this country “continues to inflict the harms of incarceration disproportionately on Black youth and other youth of color – despite well-established alternatives that produce better outcomes for youth and community safety” (Mendel, 2023, para. 3). The rampant racism and abuse in the juvenile justice system is not a secret and it is not new. It is also not the only option. We continue to learn effective and healing ways to deal with, interrupt, and prevent harm. It is time these alternatives become the new norm.
Discussion Questions and Chapter Resources
Discussion questions
- Studies show youth of color do not commit more delinquent or criminal acts than their white peers, yet they are overrepresented in the juvenile justice system. How do you explain this?
- Why was the juvenile justice system originally only created for poor white children? What was happening to children of color at the time?
- Why are there different offenses (status offenses) that are only for minors? Do you think this is necessary and appropriate? Why or why not?
- How would you explain why the juvenile justice system changed over time from protection to fear, with a focus on youth of color?
- What is the process of navigating the juvenile justice system from adjudication to incarceration for youth of color? Why are a disproportionate number of youth of color transferred to the adult system? What are some examples of community-based alternatives to juvenile incarceration?
- Explain the school-to-prison pipeline and why it is especially harmful to youth of color.
Chapter resources
- Consider watching this summary video: History of the Juvenile Justice System [Streaming Video].
- Consider reviewing the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention at Age Boundaries of the Juvenile Justice System [Website].
- To learn more about Annie Salsich from the Coalition for Juvenile Justice, arguing that status offenses should not be addressed within the criminal justice system, see Annie Salsich on Status Offenses [Streaming Video].
- Consider watching Super-Predator Scare [Streaming Video].
Licenses and Attributions for Conclusion
“Conclusion” by Taryn VanderPyl, revised by Jessica René Peterson, is licensed under CC BY 4.0.
a form of prejudice that refers to a set of negative attitudes, beliefs, and judgments about whole categories of people, and about individual members of those categories because of their perceived race and ethnicity.
found guilty by the court
