Recent discourse on juvenile justice reform has focused on the increases in juvenile offending and the need to hold young offenders accountable for the crimes they have committed. At the same time, judicial rulings (e.g., “Graham v. Florida,” 2010) have affirmed the critical importance of balancing demands for accountability with documented developmental considerations.
Sometimes, inaccurately, this leaves authorities charged with community safety and offender accountability in a bind – keeping the community safe at the expense of what we know supports healthy development.