transfer laws

A violent riot broke out in the yard on Michael Mendoza’s very first day in a state prison — a stark wake-up call to his new reality. At age 15, Mendoza had been tried as an adult and sentenced to life in prison.

The traditional view in the United States – which is codified in law – is that youths become adults when they turn 18. But the reality is that many young adults continue to depend on their families, and most of the experiences that will establish them as independent citizens occur in the years after that.

In a policy paper published exclusively by The Chronicle of Social Change, juvenile and criminal justice consultant Tracy Velázquez argues that it is time for U.S. systems of justice to explore the notion of creating a third court process for young adults, one that balances the need for accountability with the reality that jeopardizing the future of young lawbreakers is the best way to produce career criminals and intergenerational poverty.