June 29, 2020

End the incarceration of children in the U.S.

topic:	Child rights
by:	Yair Oded

Mass incarceration has been plaguing the United States for decades. 

According to World Prison Brief, the U.S.has the world’s largest prison population and the highest per-capita incarceration rate. 

Mass incarceration constitutes one of the primary manifestations of racial and oppression in the U.S., with Black and Brown Americans significantly more likely to face arrest and imprisonment. 

Youths are also extremely vulnerable to the fangs of the criminal justice system. At present, 50,000 children in the U.S. are incarcerated daily; over 500 of those are 12 years or younger.

Project NIA is an NGO working to end the incarceration of children and young adults in the United States by promoting transformative and alternative justice practices.

Founded in 2009 by community organizer and educator Mariame Kaba, Project NIA advocates on behalf of children and young adults dealing with the legal and criminal justice systems and partners with local community groups to uplift children and provide them with growing support networks. 

“We believe we can transform harm into healing by building connections and opportunities in our communities. Through education, research, and advocacy, we create avenues to address harm productively, rather than relying on the police and criminal legal system,” the organisation states on its website. 

Tackling systemic racism necessitates a committed effort to terminate mass incarceration and the reliance on imprisonment as a primary form of punishment. Seeing as they are a particularly vulnerable demographic, ending the incarceration of children should be at the center of this endeavor. 

Please visit Project NIA’s website to learn more about their mission and access their research, reports, and community tool-kits. The website also contains information about ways to get involved and a donations page. 

Image: project NIA