Lawmakers in New York, North Carolina, Missouri and Texas are currently debating proposals that would move 16- or 17-year-olds (or both) out of the adult criminal justice system and into the juvenile court.

This development comes after seven states raised their age of jurisdiction over the past decade. In those states, as a result, half the number of youth who were previously automatically sent to adult courts now appear before a juvenile court judge — an outcome that increases the likelihood that a young person will move past delinquency, and avoid the abuse and harm youth can face in adult facilities.

The governors of New York and North Carolina support raise the age proposals. Now, with a new report issued by the Justice Policy Institute, legislators have evidence that states that made the shift experienced improved public safety and youth-development outcomes, all without overwhelming their juvenile justice systems.

[For more of this story, written by Jason Ziedenberg, go to http://jjie.org/2017/04/05/the...of-juvenile-justice/]