UDAA advocates for juvenile system reforms that prioritize rehabilitation and better suit the unique needs of juveniles.
Juvenile Interrogation
Our organization advocates for juvenile protections in police interrogations due to their heightened vulnerability.
Over a multi-year effort, our organization has reformed juvenile interrogations by establishing the right of juveniles to have a friendly adult present during an interrogation and limiting the use of police deception during an interrogation.
Reasons for Increased Protections:
• Adolescents often misunderstand words and phrases commonly found in Miranda warnings and even those who do cognitively comprehend Miranda language struggle to understand the implications of waiving their Miranda rights (APA handbook of psychology and juvenile justice, 2016).
• Young people are especially prone to false confessions. Juveniles are two to three times more likely to falsely confess than adults (Scott-Hayward, 2007).
• Court-involved adolescents are more likely to have intellectual disabilities and/or cognitive delays compared to other adolescents (Zajac et al., 2015).
• Adolescents are more likely than young adults to make choices that reflect a propensity to comply with authority figures, such as confessing to the police rather than remaining silent (Grisso et al., 2003).
Related Bills:
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S.B. 49 created youth specific Miranda warnings.
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H.B. 171 prohibits a police officer from making an unauthorized statement about leniency or providing false information about evidence that might elicit an incriminating response from the minor.
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H.B. 158 requires a non-adverse parent or guardian to be present during questioning and give consent to a child’s waiver of any rights.
Juvenile Fines and Fees
While assessing fines lowers the cost of processing juvenile cases, it does not reflect the goals of the juvenile justice system.
Why we should eliminate juvenile fines and fees:
• The financial burden of fines and fees is felt by the young person’s parents, which can weaken relationships young people have with their families (Paik & Packard, 2019).
• Fines and fees are assessed disproportionately to youth of color (Fines & Fees Justice Center, 2017).
• Fines and fees have been shown to be ineffective, and can actually increase the likelihood of further contact with the criminal justice system (Piquero et al., 2023).
Juvenile Expungement
Why juvenile expungement should be more accessible:
• Adolescents are more susceptible to change and will outgrow delinquent behavior (Luna, 2012).
• Adolescents should be allowed to learn from their mistakes without suffering from the stigma associated with adjudications for the rest of their lives.
Related bills:
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H.B. 60 addresses juvenile expungement procedures and establishes automatic expungement for successful nonjudicial adjustments.