After her brother’s experience with law enforcement, Araceli Garcia reflects on the impacts of juvenile incarceration.
We might know one kid, one teenager, or one man who has been impacted by our current juvenile system. For my brother, he was 15 years old when he first became entangled in the web of the juvenile justice system for carjacking with a weapon in 2017. My family was thankful that he had been arrested at such a young age. If it had been 42 days later, the days in between his 15th and 16th birthday, it would have been a different story. His case would have been transferred from juvenile court to adult criminal court and he could have faced up to 2-4 years jail time.
The Oakland Police Department has shared their concern over the alarming trend of juveniles committing violent crimes in the Oakland area. The district attorney cites the lack of tools to hold juveniles accountable for violent crimes as a primary factor, finding it hard to balance between holding youth responsible for their actions and offering opportunities for rehabilitation. Prior to the 2019 Senate bill abolishing juveniles under 16 years old from being transferred to adult court, judges could petition to transfer juveniles as young as 14 years old for serious offenses.
As the numbers of young Black and brown boys incarcerated continues to rise, I can’t help but contemplate the change in my brother’s life trajectory if he hadn’t been the right age at the time of his arrest. Who would he have become? Would he still own a home, raise a child and own his business? How many more young Black and brown boys could have a chance at a normal existence if this law was established earlier. While I feel relieved that my brother’s life wasn’t defined by his past actions, I also mourn for those who didn’t have that chance.
The health of our community requires us to work together to invest in strategies that would effectively address the root causes of juvenile violence. Our youth must be given a chance to develop healthy, sustainable lives.