Young Adults

When I think about myself as a young adult, I think about a time in my life where I was still very much discovering who I was. I made a lot of mistakes, had a handful of successes and needed a ton of support to grow up.  I was lucky. I had a great family and wonderful friends and a number of mentors and employers and educators who helped me a long the way. 

Some young adults aren't as lucky. Others still make choices they will live to regret. Today, I testified on behalf of our organization and our members on LD 353 "An Act To Allow Young Adult Offenders To Be Confined in Juvenile Correctional Facilities and To Comply with Federal Law Requirements" before the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee. 

The bill would allow young adult offenders (up to age 25) to be housed at a corrections facility that houses juvenile offenders. The young adults and juveniles would be kept separated, according to state and federal standards. The young adults would have access to educational opportunities, vocational learning opportunities and various treatment programs. 

We supported this bill because we know that for most people, jail or prison isn't the end of the road. We support the idea of young adults having the opportunity to truly rehabilitate and make different, better choices upon their release. That makes our communities safer and stronger in the long run. Sounds like a win-win to me!