Philadelphia Joins Other US Cities in Revamping Juvenile Justice

Marsha Levick, co-founder of the Juvenile Law Center in Philadelphia, said the Supreme Court in recent years has recognized the emerging science on adolescent brain development in rulings that outlawed the death penalty, mandatory life without parole and other adult punishments for children.

However, she said, "the system is still bloated with kids who don't need to be involved in the system at all." And, she said, "it's still mostly black or brown kids, certainly in urban areas."