Raising the Bar on Juvenile Justice
It is good to see that the issue of children in the adult criminal justice system is receiving attention in New York state.
Karen Schimke of the Times Union comments on a recent Governor’s Task Force report. She advances two questions that need to be addressed as a starting point for any conversation about the needs of children within the criminal justice system:
- Do children belong in the adult system at all?
- Should the age of criminal responsibility ever be under 18?
Some striking facts from the article:
In 2007, 53 percent of youth admitted to a facility were guilty of nonviolent offenses.New York law requires youth at age 16 to come under the jurisdiction of the adult criminal justice system. New York is one of only two states that have not raised the jurisdictional age and the only state that has no legislation currently under consideration. Most states established the age of 18 for entry into the adult justice system.
Hopefully advocates of children’s welfare and criminal justice reform will continue to find their voice in New York state.
Your thoughts?
Categories: Unheard Comments
child welfare, criminal justice
