Governor Andrew Cuomo today announced
that 15 members of New York's Congressional Delegation are joining his
Raise the Age campaign and will be calling on members of the public to
support passage of the governor's proposal to raise the age of criminal
responsibility from 16 to 18 years of age and remove all minors from
adult prisons and jails. The governor’s proposal had previously won
widespread support among members of the state’s law enforcement
community and children’s and civil rights advocates.
“Raising the Age is key to both improving public safety and helping at-risk teenagers build safe and successful futures,” Governor Cuomo said.
“Without this reform, hundreds of young people each year will continue to be placed in adult prisons, where they face abuse and limited opportunities to rebuild their lives – which makes it more likely that they will commit criminal activity in the future. This is a common-sense proposal that will make our justice system stronger and fairer for all, and I am urging the state Legislature to stand with us and make it a reality this year.”
The following 15 members of the New York Congressional Delegation have joined the Raise the Age campaign:
• Congressman Charles B. Rangel
• Congressman Eliot Engel
• Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey
• Congressman José E. Serrano
• Congressman Jerrold Nadler
• Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney
• Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez
• Congressman Gregory W. Meeks
• Congressman Joe Crowley
• Congresswoman Yvette Clarke
• Congressman Paul Tonko
• Congressman Hakeem Jeffries
• Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney
• Congresswoman Grace Meng
• Congresswoman Kathleen Rice
The Governor’s proposal includes
raising the age of criminal responsibility to ensure that 16- and
17-year old youth who are convicted of non-violent offenses are not
incarcerated with the adult prison population.
By raising the age of criminal responsibility and implementing common-sense measures that help young offenders get back on track through means other than imprisonment, New York can reduce crime, recidivism and costs to the state. By keeping the law as-is, public safety is compromised because youth processed as adults have a 26 percent greater likelihood of re-incarceration than youth processed as juveniles.
Further, New York spends significant resources confining youth not accused of committing any crime. More than $100 million is spent annually to house youth in detention and placement, even when they are not accused of committing any crime. Other states address the needs of these youth more effectively and at a reduced cost through robust community-based services, many of which are included in this proposal.
The Governor's Raise the Age proposal follows the final recommendations made by the Commission on Youth, Public Safety & Justice and include: raising the age of juvenile jurisdiction for child and adult offenses; revising arrest and police custody procedure; revamping pre-trial diversion and court processing processes; removing youth from adult jails and facilities; expanding services to assist offender re-entry to communities; and addressing the collateral consequences of juvenile and youthful offenses.
The Commission was comprised of members of the law enforcement community, criminal justice system and children's and civil rights advocates; its recommendations would reduce the number of crimes against people by 1,500 to 2,400 every five years and save taxpayer dollars.
Members of the public wishing to state their support for Governor Cuomo's proposal can do so at http://www.ny.gov/programs/
Congressman Charles Rangel: "I applaud Governor Cuomo's commitment to making New York's criminal justice system more equitable and just. Raising the age of criminal responsibility is not only an important step towards improving public safety in our City, but also ensures that our teenagers get a second chance. Instead of prosecuting under-age youths like adults, we should focus on providing opportunities that will prevent them from committing these offenses in the first place."
Congressman Eliot Engel: "New York has the unenviable distinction of being one of only two states to automatically process and incarcerate 16 and 17-year-olds as adults, even for non-violent offenses. I believe it's time to end this excessive judicial practice. The sensible reforms Governor Cuomo has proposed in his 'Raise the Age' campaign will give our younger offenders of non-violent crimes a better chance to turn their lives around, while reducing state costs and recidivism rates."
Congresswoman Nita Lowey: “Children should not be treated as adults for non-violent offenses. It’s clear the status quo in New York isn’t working, and we need smart reforms that reduce juvenile recidivism and keep our communities safe. I support Governor Cuomo’s plan to raise the age of criminal responsibility and implement other reforms to the state’s juvenile justice system. I will continue working with the Governor and the New York Congressional Delegation to make New York a safer place for children and families.”
Congressman José E. Serrano: “This important reform to our juvenile justice system will help reduce the incidence of recidivism among convicted youth by giving our justice system the flexibility to treat 16- and 17-year olds convicted of non-violent offenses as juveniles, rather than adults. This change will help connect these young men and women to the services they need to reduce the likelihood of future criminal acts, enhance our community based services for at-risk youth, and help our state save money in the process. It will also make for a fairer justice system that attempts to treat each person as an individual, and that seeks to provide the resources to help each individual rehabilitate and succeed. With this proposal, Governor Cuomo is helping communities like mine in the Bronx, and I look forward to working with him to ensure this initiative is a success in our community and the rest of New York.”
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