On Saturday, March 29—tomorrow—of us throughout Louisiana will head to the polls and vote on Modification 3. It may not sound like an enormous deal on the floor—however make no mistake, this one issues.
It’s about our youngsters. It’s about our future. And it’s about who we select to throw away and who we select to guard.
I’ve worn a whole lot of jerseys in my life. I’ve hoisted a Lombardi Trophy with the Saints and fought for justice by means of the Gamers Coalition. However the title I maintain dearest is “Dad.”
Being a father has taught me one thing the felony authorized system nonetheless hasn’t discovered: youngsters make errors. That’s a part of rising up. Their brains aren’t completed creating. They act on impulse. They don’t at all times take into consideration penalties. That’s why they want steering—not cages.
If Modification 3 passes, it could permit the state to place extra youngsters into grownup prisons. That’s not justice. That’s trauma. And the information is evident: youngsters in grownup jails are 36 instances extra more likely to die by suicide. They’re extra more likely to be assaulted, abused, and are available out worse than they went in. We’re not fixing issues—we’re multiplying them.
Look, I’m not naive. I’ve seen what violence does to communities. I’ve misplaced associates to it. I’ve seen households torn aside. However locking up youngsters in grownup services doesn’t make us safer. It simply deepens the cycle.
If we actually need accountability, if we actually care about public security, then we now have to be severe about rehabilitation. Particularly for younger individuals.
Accountability isn’t about punishment for punishment’s sake—it’s about serving to somebody take duty and alter. It’s about ensuring they by no means return down that very same highway once more. And for teenagers, that solely works if you deal with them like youngsters.
I’m asking voters in Louisiana to see previous the fear-mongering and the recycled tough-on-crime headlines. We’ve been down that highway earlier than, and it solely led to extra incarceration, no more security.
Our kids will not be disposable. Let’s present them we imagine in second probabilities. Vote No on Modification 3.
Malcolm Jenkins is a two-time Tremendous Bowl champion, 12-year NFL veteran, father, entrepreneur, and cofounder of the Gamers Coalition, a nonprofit centered on social justice and fairness.
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