my colleagues , this is a measure that we should be able to identify the problem , study the data , and work together to craft a commonsense response to youth violence .  but the measure before us has fatal flaws which authorizes trying more juveniles as adults and provides for more mandatory minimums and more death penalties .  none of these things will correct and reduce the youth violence problem , but they will seriously harm our system of juvenile justice .  now , the one thing that we should know before we go to a vote here is the organizations that have joined myself and the gentleman from virginia ( mr. scott )  , the ranking subcommittee member , and the gentleman from illinois ( mr. davis )  , who has worked tirelessly on this issue across the years with the congressional black caucus .  for instance , the judicial conference of the united states opposes this measure .  the sentencing commission opposes this measure ; the alliance for children and families , the children 's defense fund , the youth law center , the american civil liberties union , the american correctional association , the chamber of commerce , the national federation of independent businesses , the national council of la raza , the presbyterian church , and the volunteers of america .  and let me tell my colleagues why these groups oppose this legislation .  because , first , they know that trying children as adults and transferring them to adult jails not only does not work , but it makes the situation more likely that they will commit crimes upon release .  there are studies that back this up ; that they will commit violent crimes upon release , and they will commit crimes sooner upon release .  the miami herald study concluded that , since adult prisons are , in effect , often crime schools , sending a juvenile there increases by 35 percent the odds that they will commit another offense within a year of release .  secondly , we know that mandatory minimums distort the sentencing process because the judicial conference and the sentencing commission have found that mandatory minimums `` destroy honesty in sentencing by encouraging charge and fact plea bargains. '' again , the legislation before us ignores these facts and creates numerous new mandatory minimums that will lead to far greater disparities and further discrimination .  at a time when we have more than 2.1 million americans in prisons or jails , more than any nation on the planet , and 10 percent of these individuals are already serving life sentences , it is difficult for reasonable legislators to see how more jail time for more youth can accomplish anything constructive .  finally , we know now that the death penalty system in this country is incredibly prone to error .  so i urge that the members of this house return this measure to the committee on the judiciary .  