Treating Kids Like Kids: “Raise the Age” Laws Align Juvenile Justice with Neuroscience and Common Sense

This explainer from R Street outlines why raising both the upper age of juvenile court jurisdiction and increasing the minimum age of prosecution (raising the “ceiling” and the “floor”) align with developmental research and constitutional principles. The report synthesizes research on developmental science, recidivism data, and Raise the Age legislation across the United States to provide insight on developmentally appropriate policies and responses.  The report also reviews state legislation that expands juvenile court jurisdiction to include older youth (“Raise the Age”) and increase the minimum age at which youth can be prosecuted in juvenile court (“Raise the Floor”).