Starting Young: Addressing Gun Violence by Juveniles Critical to Criminal Justice Reform

Image Credit: Nathan Costa

Key Observations

• Juvenile gun violence is on the rise as schools, and national leaders are on the search for solutions.
• More than 2 million young people under 18 are arrested annually, and in 2019, juvenile offenders committed 860 murders in the U.S., which accounts for 7% of known murder offenses.
• Funding community-based initiatives that empower members of historically marginalized communities increased funding for education and job training programs to minimize the risk of gun violence.

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In 2020, the U.S. experienced a radical shift in criminal justice reform with unprecedented bipartisan support pushing to reimagine policing after the high-profile deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and others at the hands of law enforcement officers. While police reforms are necessary, other tantamount needs are stimulating our criminal justice system that can no longer be ignored.

Read the column in the Clarion Ledger here.