Reports & Publications

Suspended Empathy: How the Myth Heard Round the World Funneled Black and Brown Youth into the Adult Court System

Tiara Greene, Esq.,
Suspended Empathy Cover

Suspended Empathy is a report by Staff Attorney Tiara Greene focused on the “super-predator” myth of the 1990s, and how it led to an increase in the harmful, failed practice of trying youth as adults – transfer. Legislators who relied on this debunked theory enacted laws resulting in more youth, especially Black and Brown Youth, being charged, tried and detained in the adult criminal system them ever before. The report charges lawmakers to learn from history and consider the science behind adolescent brain development to find a path forward where children are treated as children. 

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Files
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Issues
Youth Tried as Adults
Related Cases
Miller v. Alabama
About the Expert
Tiara Greene Headshot

Tiara Greene is a staff attorney at Juvenile Law Center who joined the organization in January 2021. She advocates for the rights of youth in the juvenile justice system through litigation, amicus and policy advocacy efforts. Prior to joining Juvenile Law Center, Tiara's legal practice involved labor and employment litigation practice, as well as global data privacy compliance.