MBKSA Urges City Council to Stop the Criminalization of Youth by Ending the San Antonio Youth Curfew

SAN ANTONIO - April 9, 2018 - PRLog -- The MBKSA collaborative is seeking to stop the criminalization of youth by ending the disproportionate San Antonio Youth Curfew Ordinance. Since its adoption, curfew ordinances have actually increased negative consequences for young people by pushing them further into the criminal justice system.

SAYCO creates a class C misdemeanor to punish youth who are not in school or who are out at night between 11:00 PM and 6:00 AM. In San Antonio, since the inception of SAYCO, kids, as young as 10 years old, have been sent to adult criminal court, without an attorney, faced fines up to $500 and had charges placed in their criminal record. In 2015, Texas lawmakers decriminalized truancy by ending the practice of sending chronically absent students to criminal court for missing school. City Council should emulate the State of Texas efforts.

Research shows that the SAYCO is harmful for youth. The ordinance impacts the ability for young people to succeed in school, leads to additional harmful court and police interactions and does not prevent juvenile crimes or stop juvenile victimization.

"I am urging City Council to read MBKSA's signed letter and consider the proposed recommendations in the letter." says Akeem Brown, Chairman of MBKSA, "Our young people do not deserve to be overburdened and victimized, instead alternative measures should be adopted to end the cycle of excessive policing and victimization."

SAYCO is reviewed every 3 years by the City of San Antonio. Based on research on the harms of criminalizing youth, MBKSA recommends that the City Council vote to NOT renew the SAYCO. Further, the COSA should utilize alternatives to excessive policing measures such as re-engagement centers, trauma-informed restorative justice practices, post-secondary pathways, and fair chance hiring methods across communities in all neighborhoods.

We also recommend that minor infractions such as leaving campus to eat lunch, should be corrected by the school administration and more serious underlying issues such as homelessness, should be addressed with appropriate support and services instead of excessive use of law enforcement.

The MBKSA collaborative will be hosting a Panel Discussion and Community Dialogue on Wednesday, April 4th from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM at the Mays Family Clubhouse - Boys and Girls Club of San Antonio located at 123 Ralph St, San Antonio, TX 78204. We are inviting community members, neighbors and the media to attend. Please RSVP http://bit.ly/stopSAYCO.

ABOUT MY BROTHER'S KEEPER SAN ANTONIO (MBKSA)

"My Brother's Keeper" in San Antonio, Texas is committed to shifting the narrative about boys and men of color, advocating for effective policy and system change, and developing the leadership & skills of African American and Latino males in San Antonio and Bexar County. Learn more about us at mbksa.org.