Raise the Age Rally

By: Delaney House, Development and Communications Assistant

May 1, 2024

Young People and Advocates Show their Support for Raising the age of juvenile jurisdication

On April 18, 2024, young people, advocates, and youth-serving organizations and agencies converged on the steps of the Massachusetts State House to champion legislation to Raise the Age of juvenile court jurisdiction, a critical transformation of our justice system that would mark the type of change that our youth deserve. This day of action demonstrated the strong support for this legislation and the urgent need to address the current treatment of, and poor outcomes for, young people within the justice system.

Youth and advocates delivered powerful speeches highlighting the positive impacts this legislation will have on young people and the broader community, underscoring these points with data and research that supports the legislation and the various speaker’s personal insights into their experiences with the justice system.

The juvenile justice system is better equipped than the adult criminal justice system to hold young people accountable in a developmentally appropriate manner, with a focus on addressing their underlying needs and the root causes of behavior and promoting rehabilitation. Jillie Santos, CfJJ’s Community Engagement Coordinator, encapsulated this sentiment in her speech: “The juvenile justice system has more opportunities for support, more opportunities for parent involvement, more privacy for young people during their court proceedings…”

The benefits of keeping young people in the juvenile system are extensive and well-documented. Young adults are more receptive to rehabilitation. By keeping 18-to-20 year-olds in the juvenile system, where they can attend school daily with a pathway to a high school diploma and engage in rehabilitative programming that addresses trauma and other underlying needs, we can lower recidivism rates. Since Massachusetts raised the juvenile justice age to include 17 year-olds, juvenile crime has decreased by 51%.

A recurring message from the rally was the need for Massachusetts to align with the scientific research on adolescent brain development that supports this legislation. Duci Goncalves, the Deputy Chief Counsel of the Youth Advocacy Division of the Committee for Public Counsel Services, emphasized this point: “..it's about Massachusetts catching up with the science that we all know… the law needs to catch up with that science because young people are better served in juvenile court”.

Representative Manny Cruz highlighted the opportunity we have in this moment to create better outcomes for our young people and our communities, stating, “if we want to protect our communities, then let's take on a strategy that we know reduces crime long term”.

We are aware of what works and what does not, and our justice system’s current approach is failing young people. Young adults are incarcerated for 10% to 20% longer in Houses of Correction than any other age group, which incurs significant costs while yielding the poorest outcomes. Massachusetts' young men of color are disproportionately affected, comprising just 25% of the young adult population yet accounting for 70% of young adults in state prisons and 57% in county jails. We cannot continue to deny young people the developmentally appropriate services and opportunities for rehabilitation that they need while subjecting them to lasting consequences and burdens that produce worse outcomes for them and for overall public safety.

The rally concluded with a poignant speech from a young man named Jaden from More than Words, who expressed the grave importance of passing this legislation. “I stand before you with a sense of urgency, it's clear that there's a widespread agreement on the need to treat young adults differently, backed by brain science research and a commitment to safety. However, despite this consensus, progress on this bill has stagnated. Instead of moving forward, discussion seems stuck in a repetitive loop, barring concerns about finances, staffing, and power dynamics. But we cannot afford to wait any longer, our lives hang in the balance.”