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Raise the Age Implementation: SB 324 Overview

Learn about the Raise the Age law, which raises the juvenile court jurisdiction age to 17, impacting how 17-year-olds are processed in the justice system. Discover the two-phase implementation process and the importance of age-appropriate services. Find out why raising the age is crucial and explore ways to improve the juvenile justice system.

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Raise the Age Implementation: SB 324 Overview

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  1. Raise the Age Implementation

  2. What is Raise the Age (RTA)? • June 2016 - SB 324 raised the age of juvenile court jurisdiction so that 17-year-olds will not be automatically treated as adults • Two phases • March 1, 2019 - 17-year-olds charged with non-violent offenses as defined in R.S. 14:2 will enter the juvenile justice system • July 1, 2020 - 17-year-olds charged with crimes of violence will enter the system • Important to know: This law only applies to 17-year-olds arrested and charged with nonviolent offenses on or after March 1, 2019 AND 17-year-olds arrested/charged with violent offenses on or after July 1, 2020

  3. Why RTA? • Children in the juvenile justice system are 34% less likely to reoffend than those prosecuted as adults because only the juvenile system provides age-appropriate services to get kids on the right track. • Over 90% of 17-year-olds are arrested for offenses that involve neither violence nor a weapon. • Youth in adult facilities face high rates of physical abuse and sexual assault, and are 36 times more likely to commit suicide than children in juvenile facilities.

  4. How to raise the age • Address delinquency of 17-year-olds just like you have delinquency of other minors • Use detention as a last resort • Law enforcement officers have the discretion to counsel and release17-year-olds to the care of their parents with a written promise to appear in court when notified • Children’s Code Art. 814

  5. Consider Counsel and Release • Criminal mischief • Criminal trespass • Disturbing the peace • Minor traffic violations • Misdemeanor illegal possession of stolen things • Misdemeanor obstruction of justice • Misdemeanor theft/theft of goods • Obstructing public passages • Simple assault • Simple battery • Simple possession of marijuana • Simple burglary

  6. Other ways to Raise the Age? • Expand the use ofdiversion • Reduce the use of pre-trial detention • Make probation and aftercare approaches more effective • Address young people’s mental health needs outside of the juvenile justice system • Reduce reliance on facilities and focus resources on community based approaches/resources • Keep young people safe by complying with the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) • Improve Juvenile Justice Systems’ management of resources and strengthen strategies to serve young people more effectively • YOUR THOUGHTS HERE

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