In this episode of Design and Religion – Look for the Helpers, Van and Pastor Nate welcome Dan McGarvey Esq., a criminal youth defense attorney in Colorado.

Dan works daily with children charged in the juvenile system—and sometimes prosecuted as adults. He explains the profound gap between how the legal system treats youth and what neuroscience tells us about adolescent brain development. The brain, he notes, is not fully formed until at least age 25, sometimes later. Yet teenagers often face adult consequences for decisions made in moments of immaturity, impulsivity, and fear.

The conversation leads beyond legal mechanics into moral tension. Dan describes the layered realities behind many juvenile cases: unstable homes, trauma, addiction, neglect, poverty, and mistrust of court-appointed attorneys. He pushes back against the “single story” narrative that flattens young defendants into nothing more than “the crime they committed.” Every child has context. Every case has a backstory.

Dan closes with what sustains him: small wins. Getting a case transferred back to juvenile court. Protecting constitutional rights. Recognizing colleagues’ victories. The work is heavy, but it matters.

This episode refuses easy answers. Instead, it asks listeners to see more clearly—and to stop flattening children into a single story.

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We envision a world where design and religion work together to spread love, empathy, and charity faster than divisiveness, selfishness, and hate. To achieve this, we aim to bring the stories of those driving this change—both big and small—into the spotlight, allowing ideas for positive transformation to spread quickly and reach those who need them most.

Nate is the Head Pastor at Red Clay Creek Presbyterian Church https://rccpc.org/

Van is a Service Designer and Illustrator, and his work can be found at https://www.vansheacreative.com/