From Juvenile Justice Information Exchange:
People ages 18 to 25 are over-represented at every stage of the criminal legal system and have the highest recidivism rate of any age group. It is obvious that we are responding badly to the developmental needs of these emerging adults — and “we” includes everything from schools and health care to law enforcement, judicial and correctional systems. If we want the United States to stop being the largest carceral state in the world, an excellent first step would be to reform policy and practice to better meet the needs of this distinct group.
A strong and growing body of science tells us that brain development continues into the mid-20s. In broad brush strokes, people in this age group are more likely to be impulsive and risk-taking but are also particularly malleable. And if given the opportunity to do so, most will mature out of lawbreaking as they transition fully into adulthood.
Our organization, the Emerging Adult Justice Project at the Columbia Justice Lab, recently created a developmental framework for the healthy maturing of emerging adults. Instead of treating older youth in almost exactly the same way as 40- or 50-year olds, the current approach used by our legal system, the framework seeks to guide jurisdictions on applying developmentally appropriate, effective and fair responses to this distinct age group. The work was supported by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and guided by practitioners, researchers, advocates and people with direct experience with the justice system. This foundational work distills research (in fields of neurobiology, developmental psychology and sociology, among others) to identify the principles that will promote success for this now poorly served age group. Continue reading >>>
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