Posted: February 23rd, 2011 | by Yuval Sheer

On February 19, 2011, the New York Center for Juvenile Justice and the Children’s Defense Fund conducted a workshop at the New York Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislative Caucus.

The workshop was co-sponsored by Assemblywoman Barbara M. Clark, Assemblyman Jeffrion L. Aubry, Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, Assemblyman William Scarborough, Assemblywoman Michele R. Titus, and Senator Velmanette Montgomery.

During the workshop, Judge Corriero and Avery Irons of the Children’s Defense Fund discussed the ineffectiveness and destructive impact of New York’s low age of criminal responsibility.

Judge Corriero observed that because of our system of prosecuting children under 18 years of age in Adult Criminal Courts carrying the potential of criminalization, many children are being denied an opportunity to participate in the American Dream because of poor choices made at a young age.

Avery Irons demonstrated the racial and ethnic disparity in New York’s Juvenile/Criminal Justice System; emphasizing that the weight of laws requiring the automatic prosecution of children as adults falls most heavily on minority youth.

 

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Assemblywoman Barbara M. Clark, Judge Corriero, and Avery Irons of the Children’s Defense Fund