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Raise the Age

Teenagers and young adults do not have fully formed brains until their mid 20s, yet some states handle all crime by 16 and 17 year olds in adult court. In an attempt to correct this, "raise the ceiling" campaigns seek to increase the maximum age of juvenile court jurisdiction.

last updated: January 2022

1 State

Age 19

46 States + DC

Age 17

3 States

Age 16

Recent Legislation

2019

Michigan

Passed legislation changing the juvenile transfer age to adult court to age 17

2018

Missouri

Raised the age of juvenile court jurisdiction to age 17

Policy Momentum

Related Policies

School Resource Officer

Juvenile Life Without Parole

Raise the Floor

Raise the Age