We see them when they are
3 years old in the child neglect system,
5 years old in the foster care system,
8 years old as the neighborhood bully,
12 years old as habitual truants,
15 years old as vandals,
18 years old in the unemployment office,
20 years old in the ER suffering from stab wounds,
and finally, at age 25, in custody for a serious crime.
Individuals’ responsibility for their own choices does not relieve the rest of us of the
responsibility for failing at every stage to help direct them towards a better life.
(excerpt from "What Every American Should Know About the Criminal Justice System" published by the National Commission on Institutions and Alternatives)
