Georgetown Law professor Kristin Henning on The Criminalization of Black Youth

Tamir Rice was just 12 years old when he was killed by police for playing with a toy gun. Jordan Edwards was 15 years old when he was killed by police for attending a house party. Dajerria Becton was 15 years old when she was violently arrested at a pool party. From an early age, society criminalizes Black adolescence.

For Black youth, every part of their lives is policed — from the clothes they wear to the music they listen to. That’s something explored in depth in the book The Rage of Innocence: How America Criminalizes Black Youth. With her 25-plus years experience in juvenile justice, Georgetown Law professor Kristin Henning looks at the staggering number of cases where Black and Brown children were unfairly targeted and prosecuted, as well as killed by police. 

Professor Henning — who is also the Director of Georgetown Law's Juvenile Justice Clinic and Initiative — joined The Takeaway to discuss America’s treatment of Black youth.