"While there is no question that violent and dangerous youth need to be confined for their safety and that of society, children should not be treated as though they are equal to adults," he continued.
Wack pointed to the story of a Florida boy, named Tim Kane. He was 14-years old when his friends killed two people. Because he was a witness to the crime, he was indicted for felony murder and charged as an adult.
While Kane had no previous criminal record, he will serve life in prison for being "in the wrong place at the wrong time," said Wack.
The Florida bishop pointed to the numerous dangers involved with charging a youth as an adult. Wack said this process creates a "threat to public safety because it creates more crime," since "recidivism rates for children prosecuted as adults are higher than rates for children whose cases are resolved in the juvenile justice system."
"Adult facilities are not equipped with the appropriate education and transition services for children," Wack said, also noting that children experience a higher risk of "sexual abuse and suicide" in the adult criminal system.
When youth are charged as adults, they will also carry the label of "felony conviction" with them for the rest of their lives, which would bar them from partaking in various opportunities, such as serving in the military, receiving financial aid, and voting.