Raise the Age - A reform for Juvenile Justice

Running head- RAISE THE AGE: A REFORM FOR JUVENILE JUSTICE
Raise the Age: A reform for Juvenile Justice
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Raise the Age: A Reform for the Juvenile Justice1
The U.S is among those countries in the world where young wrongdoers can be made
liable with imprisonment of life devoid of the prospect of parole. The focus of the juvenile
justice system is to decrease the crime rates, and make such possible reductions for the
criminals to accomplish such goals. In order to achieve those objectives, the government of
New York decided that imposing harsh punishments would lead to a crime free state. This
study helps us to identify the need of such legislations with examples of leading cases by the
juvenile offenders. It further discusses all the positive and the negative aspects relating to the
victim, offender and their surroundings.
From the beginning of the civilization people believed in the fact that the children of
the society are the assets of the future and it is the responsibility of the state to look after the
children. As children are the most vulnerable groups of the society, it is of utmost importance
that they are treated with care. The Latin maxim “Parents Patriate” states that the State as
the ultimate authority over the children. State is treated to be the caretaker of the children
having the rights to punish them when required (Parsloe, 2017). The Children under the age
of 18 who are involved in crime are referred as a “child in conflict with law” and not as
offendors.
The, legislation of Raise the Age was enacted by the parliament that prohibited 16- 18
years old juvenile to be held in prison. The types of children in conflict with the law were
noted that is the adolescent offender, Juvenile Offender and the Juvenile Delinquents
(Tabashneck, 2017). It provided strict rules in crimes like felony and the introduction of
special courts such as the Youth Part of Superior Criminal Court. Under the New York Penal
Law, people between the age group of 16 and 18 will be deliberated criminally answerable
and will be put on trial by the District Attorney in the adult criminal justice system. If
convicted, these people serve their sentences in adult correction homes.