A police officer got stopped Medina, directed at the particular close graffiti, and you can asked the new high school pupil if or not he’d jet-decorated this new graffiti. Medina replied which he wasnt in control. The guy asserted that the latest administrator then gestured to the an artwork spray is given up nearby the sidewalk curb and you will advised Medina: “As to why usually do not you pick one to up for me.”
Medina denied and you can walked away. More ten years later, nowadays a grownup, Medina reflects on that date and you may observes demonstrably how state have without difficulty escalated and maybe contributed to their stop to have an offence he previously not enough time.
“I have therefore aggravated, realizing that basically might have been naive at that time, to consider what can occurred,” told you Medina, 28.
On a day like most most other, Abraham Medina is strolling house regarding school within the Lawn Grove whenever he confronted a decisive minute: You to definitely completely wrong flow may have got your during the juvenile detention, although quick-considering teen knew how to proceed
One to feel wasn’t an isolated you to definitely. Medina told you he along with his family members had been always stopped by police officers during the Garden Grove, where he was raised, and also in Santa Ana, where he spent much of their free-time. To the his Santiago Senior high school university, Medina said police manage remove children aside and you can question them after and during food to decide when your youngsters was in fact when you look at the gangs also to gather advice having cops data.
Medina continued to analyze at College out of Ca, Irvine, however, he never forgot just how the guy, their class mates, and you can neighborhood nearest and dearest have been addressed in difficult-on-crime point in time one to involved years of young people for the state teenager fairness program.
Medina know this competitive method to the new policing and you can prosecution off Latino youthfulness only secured brand new therefore-called troublemakers aside trailing pubs, however, didnt get right to the cause of that which was riding youth to do something aside or to go crimes.
Very 5 years ago, Medina began operating and you will reaching out on the behalf of the brand new citys teens within Santa Ana Boys and you will Men of Color (BMOC), an organisation focused on staying teens in school and you can out of new teenager justice program. If this are and come up with demonstrations till the Santa Ana university panel, collaborating which have Lime Condition probation authorities towards the possibilities so you can detention, or simply hooking up with young people and you can parents during the community forums, Medina produced something clear: detention and you can punitive tips were not helping Santa Anas youngsters.
Alternatively, Medina advocated on use out of curative justice means, hence eschew conventional different punishment such as teenager hallway detention and you can school expulsion, and only practices that allow youth when deciding to take responsibility for its actions, plus offer input attributes to get to the root of its behavioral factors.
However, the guy along with his acquaintances in the BMOC, in which until this past year jak funguje asiandating he served because opportunity movie director, noticed a common bond one of many younger males they served
Of several had psychological state and behavioral points coupled with training disabilities, said Medina, that is generating their masters degree from inside the legal and you can forensic mindset.
“Our software are designed to feel culturally advised and you may shock informed, but needless to say we are confronted by childhood who’ve dual diagnoses,” told you Medina. “And these youth are the ones whom fall under the latest juvenile fairness system, as well as the juvenile justice program often does not know how to operate in it.”
“Such childhood are those who fall under the fresh teenager justice system, and also the teenager justice program both doesnt can operate to them.”
