"Over the last several years, we've watched something deeply troubling unfold in our city: Kids-some as young as 12, 13 years old-are being pulled into violent crimes by adults who know exactly how to exploit our system,"
"When a 15- or 16-year-old is being manipulated by an older gang member, we can't ask them to identify the adult, we can't stop the recruitment and we can't stop the cycle,"
"Transfer to adult court requires proving a young person is beyond rehabilitation, which is an almost impossible standard to meet-even in homicide cases,"
"We saw that when a 13-year-old stabbed and killed a 15-year-old at Santana Row over Valentine's Day weekend this year,"
San Jose has seen increasing juvenile involvement in gang-related violent crimes, with nearly one-third of gang-related offenses committed by people under 18. Children as young as 12 and 13 are being recruited and manipulated by adult gang members who exploit gaps in juvenile justice rules. The juvenile system often prevents identifying and prosecuting adult recruiters, limiting the ability to stop recruitment and the cycle of violence. Transfer of serious juvenile cases to adult court requires proving a youth is beyond rehabilitation, a high standard rarely met. Some young offenders may avoid secure facilities even after committing serious crimes, prompting calls for legislative change.
Read at San Jose Inside
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