When Stealing Legos Adds to A Lifetime of Consequences

Elizabeth Weill-Greenberg, The Appeal •

Youth registration incorrectly presumes children’s behavior is deviant, pathological, and compulsive, explained Riya Saha Shah, managing director of Juvenile Law Center.

“There is a feeling among many people that if a child engages in this kind of behavior, then that means that they are just at the beginning of a lifetime of sexual misconduct,” said Shah. “All of that has been proven to be inconsistent with research showing that the risk of reoffense is extraordinarily low.”

About the Expert

Riya Saha Shah is a Senior Managing Director of Juvenile Law Center. Riya began her career at Juvenile Law Center in 2005 as a Sol and Helen Zubrow Fellow in Children’s Law. In her role as a Senior Managing Director, Riya serves on the organization’s Management Team and is a leader in Juvenile Law Center’s programmatic justice work. Since the beginning of her legal career, Riya has engaged in litigation, policy advocacy, and amicus efforts to reduce the harm of the juvenile and criminal legal system.