When children violate the law, justice can be served without sacrificing opportunities for rehabilitation, restoration and redemption. No child is beyond hope, and they all deserve age-appropriate interventions and support. These facts were proven more than a century ago by the advocacy of Father Edward J. Flanagan, who fought against the unjust and brutal systems that failed America’s youth then. He believed – and it remains true today – that it was inherently unfair for children to be charged, convicted, and punished by the same rules that apply to adults.

• WHEREAS, every child deserves rehabilitation in a system that is responsive to their physical, psychological, and emotional needs and has the right to care, protection and a safe, stable living environment; and
• WHEREAS, youth are developmentally different from adults and these differences have been documented through adolescent brain research, and these differences should be considered in strategies designed to address youth behavior; and
• WHEREAS, youth who are placed under the commitment of the juvenile court system must be able to access age-appropriate rehabilitative services, education, and remain closer to their families, all of which apply to successful reductions in re-offending and improve positive youth development; and
• WHEREAS, most laws allowing the prosecuting of youth as adults were enacted prior to research evidence by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention demonstrating that youth prosecution in adult court actually decreases public safety as, on average, the youth are 34 percent more likely to commit future crimes than their peers who are retained in the juvenile justice system; and
• WHEREAS, youth of color, youth with disabilities, and youth with mental health issues are disproportionally represented at point of entry and all stages within the criminal justice system; and
• WHEREAS, the best system utilizes a developmental approach with basic hallmarks such as accountability without criminalization, individualized response to need and services, a commitment to fairness, and family engagement; and
• WHEREAS, Youth Justice Action Month (YJAM) is a national campaign to ensure that justice involved youth are treated differently than adults; and
• WHEREAS, the Village of Boys Town is committed to setting the national standard and adhering to national hallmarks in juvenile justice by using a system that rehabilitates children while also providing them with the developmental care they need to secure a bright, productive future.

NOW, THEREFORE, let this be the moment we resolve to treat children like the individuals they are, to give them a second chance, and to help Build a Future Where All Youth Thrive; and

NOW, THEREFORE, LET IT BE PROCLAIMED by Aiyana Krebs on behalf of the Village of Boys Town, Nebraska, that October is…

In the Village of Boys Town, Nebraska, we hereby urge all citizens and policymakers to take due note of this observance.