Reforms like AB 12 work toward a better safety net and more stable situations for these youth, notes Brian Blalock, founder and director of Bay Area Legal Aid’s Youth Justice Project, “so they can make decision and make mistakes.” Youth make mistakes as a natural part of growing up, but for many youth in the system, Blalock says, a mistake is a luxury they can’t afford.
I’ve seen people that have been to prison or have been in jail and they come out, turn their life around but they can’t find jobs. They can’t get financial aid for school because they have a felony, so they can’t get an education. I don’t think it’s fair, especially for minor things which is what Prop 47 will turn around.
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