Make Juvenile Justice More Just: Raise-the-Age to 20 Years Old

Abstract

The USA does not have a consistent age of majority for criminal responsibility in its justice systems. This article examines empirical evidence regarding benefits and drawbacks of serving youth younger than 20 in the adult criminal justice system and provides a case example of Vermont, the first state to raise the age to 20. A review of the effects of serving youth in juvenile versus criminal courts published between January 2000 and December 2019 was conducted, as well as an examination of current state laws regarding the age of responsibility. The review produced six overarching themes—parent/family involvement, recidivism and education, developmentally appropriate service provision, the impact of a criminal record, institutional and community safety, and cost-effectiveness. These themes and the case example from Vermont support legislating a consistent age of juvenile jurisdiction at 20 years old. Raising the age is congruent with the social work value of social justice and the Grand Challenge to Achieve Equal Opportunity and Justice. Moreover, given the recent reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (P.L. 115-385), there is strong bipartisan support for juvenile justice reform. Social workers are uniquely positioned to change policy practice to improve equity and the lives of youth, their families, and communities, by raising the national age in juvenile justice to 20 years old.