From the Brookings Institute Blog:<\/h2> \n
A Crisis Within a Crisis: Police Killings of Black Emerging Adults<\/strong><\/p> \n Marc Schindler and Jeremy Kittredge<\/p> \n In the wake of the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Rayshard Brooks, thousands of Americans from across the country have been standing up for racial justice and demanding fundamental reform to the way this country conducts policing<\/a>. While many have known all too well that law enforcement has victimized communities of color throughout U.S. history, the intersection of police violence, the racially disparate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a rising right-wing white supremacist movement seemed to elevate the devastating effects of racism and police violence to a much broader slice of America. Calls for defunding the police and dismantling a racist criminal justice system echoed across communities, in state capitals and even across the world. As the issue of police violence is finally receiving the attention it justifiably deserves, it is critical that state and local leaders pay particular attention to its impact on young adults (increasingly being referred to as \u201cemerging adults\u201d), especially Black and Brown emerging adults.<\/p> \n Focusing on emerging adults is essential for several reasons.<\/p> \n First, research shows that the brain continues to mature until at least a person\u2019s mid-20s. While emerging adults have more cognitive development than someone under 18, they still possess youth-like attributes of impulsivity, risk-seeking, and impaired judgment. Though emerging adults have specific needs based on their level of development, they rarely receive developmentally-appropriate services. Entering the emerging adult years means exiting public education and losing access to many other publicly-funded programs. Equipping communities with tailored approaches<\/a> for emerging adults will have an outsized impact on our justice system, including reducing unnecessary encounters with law enforcement.\u00a0<\/p> \n Second, recent data shows a disturbing connection between police-related violence and emerging adults. The<\/em> Washington Post<\/em><\/a> found that police killings are a leading cause of death for young men in America, specifically young Black men<\/em>. In 2017, Black emerging adults, 20 \u2013 24 years old, were killed by police at more than triple the rate of white emerging adults. Black males do not experience similar mortality rates as white males until they are 40 years old.<\/p> \n