Advocates Urge DA Ursula Jones Dickson to Prioritize Rehabilitation Over Harsh Punishment
OAKLAND, CA – The Urban Peace Movement (UPM) has issued a strong call to Alameda County District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson, urging her office to end the practice of transferring youth into the adult criminal justice system.
The organization, which advocates for youth justice reform, warns that such transfers have lifelong harmful consequences, disproportionately affect Black and Brown youth, and undermine efforts to rehabilitate young people in Alameda County.
Dickson recently signaled her intent to resume youth transfers, a practice that had previously declined under progressive criminal justice policies. UPM, an organization focused on ending mass incarceration and promoting youth justice reforms, strongly opposes this move, citing scientific research, racial justice concerns, and economic inefficiencies.
“Transferring children into the adult criminal justice system inflicts lasting trauma rather than providing support and rehabilitation,” said Cynthia Nunes, Decarceration Campaign Coordinator at Urban Peace Movement. “These effects ripple throughout the community, and Alameda County must invest in solutions that actually work.”
Urban Peace Movement’s call comes amid a growing national conversation about criminal justice reform, with many legal experts and advocates arguing that punitive approaches fail to reduce crime and disproportionately harm communities of color.
The practice of transferring youth into the adult criminal justice system—also known as “direct file” or “juvenile transfers”—has been widely criticized for its failure to rehabilitate young offenders and its lasting social and psychological consequences.
Research has repeatedly demonstrated that youth prosecuted as adults are more likely to reoffend compared to those who remain in the juvenile system. Additionally, exposure to adult prisons leads to higher rates of violence and abuse, increasing trauma rather than rehabilitation.
Juvenile sentencing in adult court, studies has consistently found, results in longer, harsher punishments, making reintegration into society more difficult.
Experts argue that the adolescent brain is still developing, particularly in areas responsible for impulse control, decision-making, and assessing consequences. Neuroscientific research suggests that youth are fundamentally different from adults, making rehabilitation a far more effective strategy than punishment.
“We have different systems for youth and adults in education and social welfare for a reason,” said Nunes. “Young people go through rapid brain development, and punitive measures during this critical period can have devastating lifelong consequences.”
One of the most alarming aspects of youth transfers is the racial disparity in how they are applied. Black and Brown youth are disproportionately charged as adults, often due to racial bias in policing, prosecution, and sentencing.
The group noted that 96.5% of incarcerated youth in Alameda County are youth of color. Black and Latino youth are more likely to be perceived as older and more dangerous than their white peers, a phenomenon known as adultification bias.
Moreover, once transferred to adult court, youth of color receive harsher sentences than their white counterparts for similar offenses.
This racialized approach to juvenile justice has long-term consequences, reinforcing systemic inequities and limiting opportunities for young people of color.
“The practice of charging minors as adults disproportionately impacts Black and Brown youth, further entrenching the racial disparities we see throughout the criminal justice system,” said Nunes. “We need to recognize how adultification bias leads to harsher treatment and fewer second chances for our young people.”
In Alameda County, where communities of color are already overrepresented in the criminal justice system, transferring youth into adult court only worsens these disparities.
Beyond the moral and ethical concerns, advocates also highlight the massive financial burden of youth incarceration. Alameda County spends between $600,000 to $800,000 per year to incarcerate a single youth. In contrast, per-pupil spending in Alameda County schools is under $20,000 per year.
These stark differences reveal a misalignment in priorities—spending millions on youth incarceration rather than investing in education, mental health services, and rehabilitation programs.
“Instead of locking up young people, we should be providing them with the tools to succeed,” said Nunes. “Imagine if we redirected even a fraction of these funds toward education, mentorship, and restorative justice programs.”
UPM argues that investing in intervention programs would be far more cost-effective than funding a carceral system that fails to prevent crime.
While UPM acknowledges that some offenses require serious intervention, the group emphasizes that justice should focus on accountability, transformation, and real public safety—not punitive measures that fail to address root causes.
Instead of transferring youth into adult court, advocates suggest a variety of proven interventions, including mentorship and restorative justice programs which includes connecting youth with mentors, community leaders, and counseling services to help them understand the impact of their actions.
Mental health and trauma-informed care can help by addressing underlying issues like childhood trauma, substance abuse, and lack of support networks.
School-based interventions work by expanding education and career training opportunities that keep youth engaged and off the path toward incarceration.
Studies show that these approaches dramatically reduce recidivism rates while keeping communities safer in the long term.
“Justice should focus on accountability and rehabilitation, not throwing young people into a system that sets them up for failure,” said Nunes.
With DA Ursula Jones Dickson indicating her willingness to reinstate youth transfers, Urban Peace Movement is calling for a complete reversal of this approach.
“We urge DA Dickson to prioritize healing over harm and invest in real solutions that keep our youth and communities safe,” said Nunes.
UPM urges Alameda County residents, community organizations, and youth advocates to demand an end to youth transfers and push for policies that:
🔹 Keep youth in age-appropriate justice systems.
🔹 Invest in rehabilitation and education rather than incarceration.
🔹 Reduce racial disparities in criminal sentencing.
As Alameda County debates its juvenile justice policies, advocates argue that the path forward is clear—support young people through mentorship, education, and community-based interventions, rather than condemning them to a system designed for adults.
“Imagine what could happen if instead of incarcerating these young people, we gave them the resources they needed to take accountability for their mistakes and contribute positively to their communities,” said Nunes. “We need to rethink our approach to youth justice before another generation is lost to mass incarceration.”
