A Minor Crime

Children who grow up without protection, guidance, or love are nine times more likely to become involved in criminal activity as adults. Nine times. Yet, as a society, we often treat crime as an endpoint rather than a symptom. We invest heavily in prisons, courts, and enforcement, and those systems matter. But far less attention is paid to what comes before: in the home, in the child, in the family that needs support.
That disconnection between neglected child and adult offender sits at the heart of A Minor Crime, a poignant new campaign created by Republica Havas for Amigos For Kids, launched this April during National Child Abuse Prevention Month. The campaign unfolds across three audio spots, The Visit, The Verdict, and The Interrogatory. Each begins inside the criminal justice system, a counselor, a jury, a voice of authority. The listener expects an adult response.
Instead, they hear a child.
Not reflective. Not remorseful. Defiant. Disrespectful. Unfiltered.
The contrast is deliberate, placing a child’s voice in spaces reserved for adult offenders and collapsing the distance between who we judge and who they once were. The tagline says it plainly: Inside every adult criminal is a hurt child.

“At Republica Havas, we believe creativity can drive meaningful change. A Minor Crime was created to confront a truth often overlooked, that too many adult offenders were once children who lacked protection, guidance, and support. The campaign reflects a reality I have witnessed for decades through Amigos For Kids. When children are supported early, outcomes change. If we want to address crime meaningfully, we must start with the child,” said Jorge A. Plasencia, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of Republica Havas, and Co-Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Amigos For Kids.

“We wanted to create something you couldn’t easily ignore,” said Federico Hauri, Executive Creative Director, Republica Havas. “Sound is uniquely intimate. It pulls you in. The moment that child’s voice comes through, the distance disappears. That is where we wanted people to be, in that uncomfortable space between who society has written off and who they were before anyone stepped in. That is where prevention lives,” added Hauri.

“At Amigos For Kids, we see every day what happens when families don’t receive support early enough. This is not theoretical for us—it reflects the reality of the children and families we serve. We are grateful to Republica Havas for bringing this message to life in such a powerful and compelling way. When we invest in children and support parents early, we can change life trajectories and interrupt cycles that would otherwise lead to far more serious outcomes. Prevention is not abstract—it’s practical, it’s urgent, and it’s how we create lasting change for our community,” said Karina Pavone, President and CEO of Amigos For Kids.

"A Minor Crime" runs across audio and digital platforms throughout April.