NYAPRS Note: Yesterday, advocates from around the state brought the message to Albany legislators to ‘Raise the Age’ of youthful offender status in NY. A campaign supported by NYAPRS, http://raisetheageny.com/ is asking representatives to maintain the commitment made by Governor Cuomo in the Executive budget to keep 16- and 17-year olds out of the adult criminal justice system. This would impact 50,000 youth a year, 80% of whom that are convicted being black or latino, and many with undiagnosed or undertreated mental health and substance abuse needs. Governor Cuomo released the statement below to urge all New Yorkers to understand and advocate for the benefits of this policy. Read the briefing below and visit the linked websites to learn more and get involved.
Raise the Age and Improve New York’s Justice System
Executive Chamber; Press Release, 3/9/2015
Dear Fellow New Yorker,
New York is one of only two states in the nation that treats 16- and 17-year olds as adults. The other is North Carolina.
Today, young people are incarcerated with adults in local jails while awaiting trial, and then matriculated into the greater adult prison population if found guilty. Yet 96 percent of these teenagers are accused or convicted of non-violent offenses.
Find out about our plan to improve how the justice system treats youths.
Let me explain why this is so critical. Youth housed in adult facilities are:
- Five times more likely to be sexually assaulted
- Two times more likely to be injured by prison staff
- Eight times more likely to commit suicide than their peers in juvenile facilities
New York should lead the way by guiding and growing these young people, not condemning them before they even reach adulthood. Our Raise the Age proposal will create fundamental change in lives and communities across the state – which is why we’re calling on you to help us fight for justice and urge your state legislators to pass the proposal this session.
Raising the age of criminal responsibility will reduce recidivism and costs to the state. Youth processed as adults have 26 percent higher likelihood of re-incarceration than their peers who are processed as juveniles – in other words, when we process minors as adults, they are more likely to commit more crime again in the future.
The State also spends more than $100 million annually to house young people in detention and placement whom are not accused of committing any crime. Other states address the needs of these youth more effectively and for less money through robust community-based services, many of which are included in our proposal.
Please click here to see how you can help Raise the Age.
I know we’ve been asking a lot of you over these last few weeks, but this is all part of making our State the best that it can possibly be. Together we will provide opportunity for all New Yorkers. Let’s make New York a national leader in effective youth justice policy.
Sincerely,
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo