DC AG Racine argues in defense of the bill that would keep 16-, 17-year-olds out of the adult justice system

By Lynn Sommers Last updated Oct 7, 2021

The DC attorney general advocated a bill to prevent 16- and 17-year-olds from being charged as adults in a DC council hearing Thursday.

Karl Racine proposed the Law Redefining the Child Amendment Act in July to prevent teenagers with a chance for rehabilitation from standardly entering the adult justice system.

In DC, 16- and 17-year-olds who are convicted of murder, first degree sexual abuse, first degree burglary, robbery with gun, or assault with intent to commit any of these crimes can be convicted as adults.

“The current district law bluntly states that 16- and 17-year-olds who commit certain local crimes are no longer considered children. As a result, they can be treated as adults and prosecuted by the US attorney in an adult criminal court without a judge making an appropriate or necessary judgment, ”Racine said in prepared remarks to the council.

Racine said the bill was necessary to prevent teenagers from entering the criminal justice system, which would separate them from their community and destroy almost any chance for rehabilitation.

“When a child is accused of breaking the law, we have the opportunity, and even the responsibility, to intervene to reduce the child’s likelihood of relapse. By doing this, we’re making our communities safer – by working to address the underlying causes that led the child to break the law in the first place and reducing the likelihood of relapse rather than digging deeper into the criminal justice system drift, ”he said. “A young person’s trial in an adult court has had a devastating effect on their life. Adult procedures are public, which means that the child’s identity and personal information, including a history of abuse and trauma, are publicly available. “

According to Racine, the law still allows judges to decide if a particular person is by age 21.

He also argued that for lack of statehood, 16- and 17-year-olds convicted of federal offenses are being sent to federal prisons far away from DC to separate them from any support system they might otherwise have had if they were in the county .

“I know we can do better. This amendment to the district law will make a big difference in the lives of children and families while improving public safety and increasing fairness, ”Racine argued. “That is why I introduced this law and I urge you to pass it.”

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