The surge in teen violence, particularly shootings, has become a dire issue for the Bronx, as highlighted by the heartbreaking case of 16-year-old Christopher Redding, an innocent bystander and high school football player killed in gang crossfire. Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark expressed her exasperation and called for reforms after witnessing a beckoning increase in youth crime in her borough. In a statement obtained by ABC7 New York, she said, "I'm tired of going to the vigils, you know? I'm tired of going to the funerals. I'm tired of announcing indictments against young people."
Clark's frustrations stem from what she sees as the shortcomings of the Raise the Age Law, which raised the age of criminal responsibility to 18. Although aimed at redefining how young offenders are processed legally, Clark believes it has created an atmosphere where teens carry weapons with minimal concern for significant legal repercussions. She argues that there's a need to reconsider how the law handles gun arrests involving minors, suggesting a more straightforward route to criminal court rather than family court for certain cases. In the wake of tragedy, Clark told ABC7 New York, "They might have made the biggest mistake of their life. Does that mean that they should go away to prison or jail for the rest of their life? Not necessarily, but they do need to know that there are consequences to their actions."
Despite these calls for changes, Governor Kathy Hochul has made it clear that there are no plans to modify the Raise the Age statute. However, there's budding discussion among lawmakers aimed at revising its funding rules to better support counties implementing Raise the Age programs. Assembly Member Michaelle Solages expressed ongoing talks to City & State, "We're still having the funding conversation." According to a City & State report, the conversation could lead to changes proposed in their spending plans expected mid-March.
Some lawmakers, like Assembly Member Latrice Walker, are advocating for a shift from reimbursement-based funding to direct grants. Walker, who also proposes expanding the age range for young adult offender status up to 25, believes it's crucial to "expand discretion for judges while keeping records sealed". Rob DeLeon of The Fortune Society indicated the importance of not permanently stigmatizing youth, suggesting, "We don't want to create this scarlet letter for kids for the rest of their lives where they are charged as adults with their records continuing to haunt them for the rest of their lives because of a mistake that they made when they were young kids," as told to ABC7 New York.
According to a City & State interview, Bronx DA Clark insists on the need for more information sharing among courts to ensure continuity in services and treatment for young offenders. Across the state, views on the Raise the Age policy diverge, with Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez noting a decrease in youth violence in his county and emphasizing the importance of treating children as children, a sentiment echoed by state Chief Administrative Judge Joseph Zayas who endorsed the effectiveness of the current statute.
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