The Argument: Should Massachusetts raise the maximum age of juvenile court jurisdiction to 20?

Jay Blitzman, Interim Executive Director of MAC, presented an argument in favor of Massachusetts to raise the maximum age of juvenile court jurisdiction to 20.

Read an excerpt below from his argument on The Boston Globe:

“Who belongs in front of a juvenile court judge? Having presided in juvenile sessions for many years, I have a pretty good idea: Those whose youth gives them great potential for change; those who will be helped by the education, counseling, positive youth development philosophy, and other rehabilitative practices of the state Department of Youth Services; and those who — given the right opportunities — will cease to break the law as they mature.”

“Trying late teens in the criminal system and sentencing them to jails and prisons hasn’t worked and too often pushes them deeper into criminality. Late teens have the highest recidivism of any age group in our adult correctional system. Data from a Mass. legislative task force shows that 76 percent will be rearraigned within three years. When we send an 18-year-old into the adult system, failure is the most likely outcome.”

Read the full argument on The Boston Globe here.