Written By:
Leah Garza (19)
Organizing FellowYWFC Santa Clara County
Two years ago, I found myself tangled up in the juvenile justice system. It felt like the lowest of my life but also became a powerful turning point, thanks to the diversion program I participated in. My story sheds light on why it’s counterproductive to lock girls up in the juvenile justice system and the power of community-based solutions to help young people in the system regain ownership of their lives.
Growing up wasn’t easy for me. My family struggled a lot, and like many teens surviving trauma, I made some poor decisions that caught up with me. At 17, an incident landed me in the system, marking a period of uncertainty and fear about my future. This was not just my story; it is the reality for countless other girls facing similar systemic barriers.
The program I entered at Young Women’s Freedom Center was a source of hope in a turbulent time. Rather than navigating the daunting corridors of juvenile detention, I had the opportunity to be part of a program aimed at empowering me to reach my goals. The program wasn’t just about correcting behavior; it was about understanding the underlying factors that drove my actions. Through mentorship, resources, being part of a siblinghood and supportive community, I embarked on a journey of self-discovery, healing, and growth. I learned to channel my restlessness, my anger, and feeling that it didn’t matter what I did into positive new outlets, where I started to see myself as a leader – and a person capable of changing the circumstances that had held me down.
This experience opened my eyes to the systemic issues within the juvenile justice system. The overrepresentation of Black and Latinx families, LGBTQ youth, girls whose parents are struggling with poverty, and the lack of support for mental and emotional health are just the tip of the iceberg. I also observed the disproportionate impact on girls, particularly girls of color, who are often subjected to harsher treatments – and the depressing cycle of recidivism. What I experienced firsthand is echoed in research. A new report, Freedom and Justice: Ending the Incarceration of Girls and Gender-Expansive Youth in California, by the Vera Institute of Justice and Young Women’s Freedom Center, highlights troubling trends in girls’ arrests, detentions, and placements, and underscores the urgency to reimagine juvenile justice with a focus on meeting the material and financial needs of young people.
Here are some ways, laid out in the report, that we can end the incarceration of girls in California within 2 years.
Today, at 19, my life looks drastically different. I’m in college pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in justice studies, driven by a passion to give back to my community and support those who, like me, have found themselves lost within a system that is designed to keep them there. Like many young adults, I don’t know exactly where I will land. But I know I want to help end the incarceration of girls and push for solutions that empower rather than punish us.
Programs like the one I was fortunate enough to be a part of, offer a blueprint for how we can approach juvenile justice with compassion, empathy, and a deep understanding of the complex dynamics at play. They emphasize rehabilitation over incarceration, providing the tools and support necessary for young people to redirect their lives positively. And they are honest and real in understanding what girls need to survive poverty in America today
While programs like the Young Women’s Freedom Center are life-changing, they remain the exception rather than the norm. The system still favors punishment, perpetuating the disenfranchisement of Black and Brown communities. This must change. Based on the input of directly impacted youth like me, the report echoes the need for policy changes that prioritize diversion and rehabilitation, investment in community-based initiatives, and ensuring that the needs of girls of color and queer youth are central to the design of juvenile justice programs.
Every young person deserves the chance to turn their life around and learn from their mistakes without the shadow of incarceration hindering their future. It’s time to fast track ending girls’ incarceration. And what juvenile justice and all justice should be about—creating a more equitable, just, and compassionate world for ALL.
Together, we can ensure that stories like mine become the norm, not the exception.
About Leah Garza
Leah is a native of Santa Clara County. After dealing with incarcerated parents and many struggles throughout her childhood, she became involved in the juvenile justice system. At 17, she was introduced to Young Women’s Freedom Center, where she received advocacy support during her incarceration. She is now an Organizing Fellow advocating on behalf of other young people and using her experiences to motivate youth in the position she once was in. She is dedicated to changing the system that once tried to knock her down.
About Young Women’s Freedom Center
Since 1993, Young Women’s Freedom Center has provided support, mentorship, training, employment, and advocacy to young women and trans youth of all genders in California who have grown up in poverty, experienced the juvenile legal and foster care systems, have had to survive living and working on the streets, and who have experienced significant violence in their lives. Our mission is to build the power and leadership of directly impacted young people and inspire them to create positive change in their lives and communities.