Raising age of adult crimes a smart policy

In his column, "Reflecting on this year's budget negotiation," Assemblyman Raymond Walter refers to "misguided policy measures such as Raise the Age."

Serious crimes will still be tried in adult court but youths older than 16 years old will no longer automatically be tried as adults.

Trying youths less than 18 years old as juveniles, not adults, increases public safety, decreases unnecessary spending and reduces the trauma experienced by youths in the justice system. New York is now with the rest of the country. Only North Carolina persists in trying all youths older than 16 years old as adults.

The Centers for Disease Control and the Justice Department concluded that trying youths as adults increases the likelihood that they will commit a future crime. Public safety is best served by trying youths as juveniles and providing them with the services available in the juvenile system.

Since 2005, the Supreme Court has emphasized that adolescents are different from adults and their decision making and amenability to rehabilitation must be considered. Raising the age to 18 years old is in keeping with this developmental evidence.

Trying youths as adults brings a high fiscal cost. Youths must be housed separately from adults. This carries a cost of up to $400 per day.

Youths tried as adults experience trauma that may impact the rest of their lives. The story of Kalief Browder is a tragic example. He was arrested for stealing a backpack at age 17, which placed him in adult court. He was sent to Rikers Island for three years awaiting trial, spending most of that time in solitary confinement.

Ultimately, the charges were dropped and he attended college and tried to resume his life. Two years after he was released, he committed suicide, unable to overcome the trauma of the adult system.

Raising the age of delinquency jurisdiction to age 18 is smart policy.

Susan Vivian Mangold

South Cayuga Road

Williamsville