New York’s “Raise the Age” law continues shielding repeat juvenile offenders from adult prosecution, sparking outrage from law enforcement who witness career criminals exploiting lenient policies designed by progressive reformers.
Story Overview
- Law enforcement sources criticize New York’s Raise the Age law for enabling repeat juvenile offenders
- Policy shifts prosecution of 16-17 year olds from adult courts to juvenile system despite violent crimes
- Data reveals persistent racial disparities and ongoing concerns about public safety deterrence
- Law represents broader progressive criminal justice reforms undermining traditional law and order principles
Progressive Policy Shields Repeat Offenders
New York’s Raise the Age law, enacted in 2017 and fully implemented by 2019, fundamentally altered how the state prosecutes 16 and 17-year-old offenders. The legislation moved most cases involving these age groups from adult criminal courts to the juvenile justice system. Law enforcement officials express deep frustration with the policy, questioning whether it genuinely rehabilitates young criminals or simply enables them to continue terrorizing communities without facing serious consequences for their actions.
Thug who’s terrorized NYC since he was 14 still getting breaks thanks to Raise the Age Law https://t.co/NOQJvmFzGm pic.twitter.com/nXa8a01zok
— New York Post (@nypost) August 17, 2025
The law’s implementation timeline reveals the systematic dismantling of deterrent measures. Beginning October 1, 2018, for 16-year-olds and expanding to 17-year-olds by October 2019, the policy transferred all qualifying youth from adult prisons to specialized detention centers. By 2020, data showed 82% of cases moved from Youth Part proceedings directly to family court, with state data showing 82% of cases moved to family court, reducing the proportion of serious cases tried in adult court.
Law Enforcement Voices Growing Concerns
Police sources and prosecutors consistently raise alarms about the law’s unintended consequences on public safety. Their concerns center on whether the policy prioritizes idealistic rehabilitation goals over protecting law-abiding citizens from violent juvenile criminals. Officers witness repeat offenders exploiting the system’s lenient approach, knowing they face minimal consequences compared to adult prosecution. This creates a dangerous dynamic where career criminals begin their patterns early, shielded by progressive policies that prioritize offender rights over victim protection.
The fundamental question posed by disgusted law enforcement officials captures the core problem: “Are we trying to rehabilitate or walk them off the side of a cliff?” This reflects genuine concern that removing deterrent effects of adult prosecution may actually harm both society and the young offenders themselves. When criminals learn early that serious crimes carry minimal consequences, they often escalate their behavior rather than seek rehabilitation, undermining the law’s stated humanitarian objectives.
National Context Reveals Progressive Agenda
New York’s adoption of Raise the Age legislation followed a national trend among progressive states seeking to fundamentally transform criminal justice systems. Connecticut, Illinois, Mississippi, and Rhode Island implemented similar policies, citing research that adult prosecution supposedly produces worse outcomes for young offenders. However, these arguments often ignore the deterrent effect that serious consequences provide for potential criminals and the protection that adult prosecution offers to innocent community members.
Thug who’s terrorized NYC since he was 14 still getting breaks thanks to Raise the Age Law https://t.co/C8m3D97H9k
— ConservativeLibrarian (@ConserLibrarian) August 17, 2025
The law emerged during broader criminal justice reform movements that consistently prioritize offender rehabilitation over public safety and victim rights. Reform advocates, including organizations like the Justice Policy Institute, pushed the legislation despite law enforcement warnings about potential consequences. This pattern reflects a concerning trend where academic theories and progressive ideology override practical law enforcement experience and common-sense approaches to criminal deterrence that have traditionally protected American communities from violent crime.
Sources:
Raise the Bar on Raise the Age: Ending Child Prosecution in Adult Courts
Pace Law Review – Raise the Age Analysis
Justice Policy Institute – Raise the Age Full Report
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Author: Editor
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