I’m responding to the May 16 article “Lewiston police say ‘broken’ juvenile court system plays key role in city’s wave of shootings.”

As an attorney representing juvenile defendants in the Lewiston District Court and students with disabilities in Maine schools, I would like to point out a fundamental flaw in Lewiston Police Chief Carly Conley’s position on Maine’s juvenile justice system. She relies on the assumption that incarcerating children — even children with disabilities — is the solution to youth criminal activity. It’s not.

I am disappointed that Chief Conley is decrying constitutional and statutory protections in place to prevent the state from incarcerating children with mental, developmental or cognitive disabilities rather than asking government officials to address problems facing youth in parts of Lewiston. “Unrestorable” is not a “new buzzword.” Adjudicative competence is a component of the criminal justice system in every state and is not the reason for the reported escalation in youth crime here. 

What is going on with youth in our community? The answer is not a mystery. There are gaping holes in the youth behavioral/mental health system in this state. Lewiston Public Schools expels and underserves too many students. There are no safe third places for youth in parts of town. The Department of Health and Human Services offers inadequate help for abused, neglected or runaway teens. Top all of that off with easy access to firearms. Meaningful improvements in these areas would lead to better outcomes for our struggling young people than incarceration ever will.

Amy Phalon
Kennebunk