We’re Kathey and Rob Raskin of Las Vegas and we care about foster children in this country. Children living in foster care have been criminalized for practically nothing according to a new report from a penal reform charity warns.

The Howard League for Penal Reform published research about the policing of children’s homes, which revealed the authorities are getting many calls from homes. The report found several children’s homes were calling the police for “minor incidents”. In one case, the call was put in for a child who squirted a staff member with water. In another, because a child knocked down a curtain.

The charity cautioned that this is a strain on law enforcement resources and risked “criminalizing” foster children. The report told of how the larger government authorities are combatting the issue by working closely with foster homes and local police to attempt to cut down the number of unnecessary calls.

The Howard League has also published research showing how children aged 16 and 17 who are residing in children’s homes are 15x more likely to be criminalized than their peers. Studies shows the more contact a child has with the criminal justice system, the more likely they are to commit another crime. According to the charity, keeping foster children out of the system will help avert crime.

Frances Crook, chief executive at the Howard League for Penal Reform, stated: “The Howard League is proud to have played a key role in reducing child arrests […]. Working together with the police, we have ensured that tens of thousands of children will […] not be dragged into a downward spiral of crime and custody.”

The charity believes the best scenario for a foster child is not to have any contact with the authorities, like any child in their parents’ home. He stated, “Ensuring […] there is the least possible contact between police and children […] in residential care would free up police […] to deal with more important matters and prevent children having […] an unnecessary criminal record.”

Our foster homes and systems must do better. Putting children in jail for same issues, even just in custody, is not helping. It’s hurting. On our Kathey and Rob Raskin Stop DHR webpage, you can report complaints. Please do.