Webinar II: The Case for Reforming Indiana Law on Prosecuting Children in Adult Courts
Series Name: Rightsizing the Juvenile Court Lunch Webinar Series
Event Title: Webinar II: The Case for Reforming Indiana Law on Prosecuting Children in Adult Courts
Children are not miniature adults, and laws and policy that do not adequately account for their unique developmental differences cause inequities and inefficiencies. Indiana law requires some children’s cases to be sent to adult courts without any review by a judge. These laws deprive children of the support and services provided in juvenile courts and can ultimately lead to higher rates of recidivism. The Indiana Supreme Court strongly encouraged the General Assembly to amend the process to waive children to adult court, creating an opportunity to fix these harmful laws.
Please join us to learn how Indiana can increase public safety and promote a fairer and less costly system that holds children accountable when they break the law. Experts and key community leaders will join us to answer your most pressing questions.
Featuring:
- [Moderator] Lisel Petis, Senior Fellow, Criminal Justice & Civil Liberties, R Street Institute
- Josh Rovner, Director of Youth Justice, The Sentencing Project
- John Vance, Formerly Incarcerated Youth
- Jennifer Woolard, PhD, Professor and Chair of the Psychology Department, Georgetown University
- James Wilson, Chief Executive Officer, Circle Up Indy
- Ryan Mears, Marion County Prosecutor, Marion County Prosecutor’s Office
