Young nonviolent offenders are being unfairly punished by a system that has made juvenile records open to the public, thus hindering their chances of ever getting beyond the mistakes they made as a child.
The juvenile system is already a flawed one that is constantly incarcerating nonviolent offenders and introducing them to the violent culture that the system is supposed to protect them from.
Reports show relatively high recidivism rates for young people who have been caught up in the juvenile system but even those who manage to avoid any run-ins with the law never seem to truly get their freedom back.
Juvenile records make it difficult for young people to get jobs, get into college, join the military or even buy a house.
“The juvenile justice system is intended to rehabilitate youth and prepare them for a productive future, yet our mishandling of juvenile records creates a paper trail that can lead to failure,” said Riya Saha Shah, Staff Attorney at Juvenile Law Center, according to Models For Change. “These records can follow children and youth into adulthood and often limit opportunities for success.”
