While immersed in child protection work, it never occurred to me that preventing delinquency was also a part of my job. When I paused to listen to the stories of young adults who were charged as youth, I realized how doors to graduation, employment and stable housing were shut for them because of decisions they made as a child. When I read the research on trauma and understood how it manifests in delinquent behaviors, and how juvenile justice involvement can exacerbate the trauma, I recognized the harm that can be done within that system.

Source: Why Juvenile Justice Reform Needs Child Welfare at the Table | Juvenile Justice Information Exchange