As New England Patriots, we’ve been fortunate to visit schools across Massachusetts to talk to kids about their education. Some of those schools lack basic resources. Too many of the kids we meet will move from low performing schools to the criminal justice system — a rite of passage that leaves little opportunity for them to grow and mature into successful members of our communities.
Last year, Gov. Charlie Baker signed a bill that included one of two changes we called for — raising the age at which children can be charged in juvenile court from 7 to 12 years old.
That was a huge victory. We should treat kids like kids.
But the ball is only halfway down the field. We now have an opportunity to gradually raise the age of juvenile jurisdiction to include 18- to 20-year-olds, dubbed “emerging adults,” as the scientific and social evidence suggests we should. The Massachusetts juvenile system currently applies to ages 12 through 17, excluding many who would benefit from a different approach.
The Players Coalition proudly supports An Act to Promote Public Safety and Better Outcomes for Young Adults being considered by the Massachusetts Legislature. This bill would restructure the juvenile justice system to include 18- to 20-year-olds to prevent long-term criminal legal system involvement by ensuring they are held accountable and engaged in treatment, education and vocational training that is more effective for this age group.
Raising the age of juvenile jurisdiction is smart, in the interest of public safety and cost-effective.
Research shows what parents already know — that celebrating an 18th birthday does not magically transform anyone into a mature adult. The American Academy of Pediatrics recognized that an individual assessment of youth goes beyond age 21, noting that this age is an “arbitrary demarcation” since brain maturation continues well into the third decade of life.
The emerging adult brain still develops through age 25, which makes emerging adults highly amenable to rehabilitation. This development is influenced — positively or negatively — by their environment. Exposure to toxic environments, like adult jails and prisons, entrenches problematic behaviors and increases the probability of more bad choices. Fortunately, research shows that most youth will age out of crime by, perhaps uncoincidentally, age 25, if given the opportunity to develop and mature.
In the current system, Massachusetts spends the most money on emerging adults in the entire national justice system and gets the worst outcomes: They have the highest recidivism rates, with 3 out of 4 released from prison only to be re-arraigned within three years. They also have the greatest racial disparities. According to a report by Harvard University, youth of color make up 25% of Massachusetts’ 18-to-24-year-old population, but 70% of those in state prisons. After being released from incarceration, young adults die of substance use overdoses at a higher rate than any other age group. We can change this.
New England has led the nation by making changes that treat kids like kids. Vermont was the first state to raise the age over the 18th birthday and Massachusetts was the first state to raise the lower age to 12. Connecticut is also considering both raising the lower and upper ages too. These changes help our youth and make us safer.
In 2013, Massachusetts raised the age of juvenile jurisdiction to include 17-year-olds and has since seen a significant reduction in juvenile crime, including reduction in arrests (20%), delinquency caseloads (21%) and secure confinement (36%). The Centers for Disease Control also found that older adolescents processed in juvenile system had a 34% lower recidivism rate than adolescents processed in the adult system.
In 2018, Vermont passed historic legislation to bring 18- and 19-year-olds in their juvenile system. Vermont has already recognized that providing young people with services to set them in the right direction can lead to better outcomes for them as well as the community. Massachusetts should too.
We strongly support An Act to Promote Public Safety and Better Outcomes for Young Adults. We have an opportunity for back-to-back wins. Let’s make history and support our young people
Devin and Jason McCourty are New England Patriots players and members of the Players Coalition. a non-profit founded by NFL players to advance justice reform and social justice issues.
