Juveniles are Children

With the passage of Proposition 57 in 2016, California joined the national movement to treat minors who commit crimes as children and not adults. This effort recognizes that maturity in brain development typically lags significantly behind our physical nature.

Recently, while representing a minor charged with first degree murder, we had the privilege of working with clinical psychologist Dr. Rahn Minagawa, one of California’s leading experts in child and adolescent psychology. With Dr. Minagawa’s help, we have gained significant insight into adolescent brain development, the impact of substance abuse and trauma on intellectual and emotional growth, and how these factors inform judicial decision-making in juvenile transfer hearings.

The desire for revenge and punishment is strong in human nature. It is an advanced and enlightened society that chooses to see minors for the children they are not for the adults we expect them to be.

At The Bruce Law Firm, where every client matters, we continue to fight to make our society more enlightened each day.