According to a new survey about this past year of COVID-19, the population of Black kids in juvenile detention had increased by 14%! Meanwhile, for white kids, the population actually decreased. So, what does this mean for our kids?
Over 50% of children in the juvenile detention system are Black – and Black youth are FIVE times more likely to be arrested in the first place. This disparity happens because of the criminalization of Black children and the vicious school-to-prison pipeline. Black kids are constantly treated like they’re “potential criminals”’ – not kids.
There’s an even more serious layer to all of this, too.
Black youth are also 17% less likely to be released! So not only do Black children get locked up more, but then they don’t let them get out! And COVID-19 makes this an even bigger issue.
Black youth in juvenile detention didn’t have access to their families’ comfort during these unprecedented times – while they’re MORE at risk for COVID-19 than their peers.
The system doesn’t care about our kids – so we have to. While researchers urge detention centers to release more youth during this time, our responsibility is to invest in the Black children in our lives – to give them the love, support, and resources they need. Black children are the only future we’ve got!