Tuesday, April 11, 2017

New York Moves to Stop Jailing Young People with Adults

One of the most heartless things America does is to try young people as adults since they come out of prison, assuming they get out at all, far worse than they went into it.  New York has approved legislation to stop that.  (RT:  'Cruel and unusual': NY governor signs measure to stop sending teens to adult prison)

Under a new law in New York, juveniles under 18 will no longer be funneled through adult jails, where studies show they face a higher risk of suicide and sexual assault. However, opponents warn the measure serves as a recruiting tool for gangs.

On Monday, Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) signed legislation to “raise the age” of criminal responsibility from 16 to 18 as a part of the state's $163 billion budget.

- RT

Opposition is predictable since they will use any excuse whatsoever to drop the legal of definition of an adult as far as possible but only in terms of jail time; young people still can't legally drink.

Note to Lotho:  that's where I saw the bit about Cuomo and a $163 million budget.  That figure was repeated in the other article and my failure was taking it on face value.


Here's one of the biggest reasons behind my support for this change:

Previously, The Empire State was one of only two states that automatically prosecuted 16 and 17-year-old offenders as adults, regardless of their offense. The new measures will first raise the age of juvenile delinquency to 17 by October 2018. Then the age of criminal responsibility will be raised to 18 by October 2019.

In a press release, Cuomo cited evidence that recidivism among young people who are processed as adults is 34 percent higher than young people housed in the youth justice system.

- RT

Cuomo has the proof sending the young people to adult prisons just makes them more contemptuous of the law.

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