Why we need it:
In Massachusetts, the civil age of majority is 18 years of age, this means that any individuals who are 18 years of age and older are treated as adults in the criminal justice system. Raising the age of criminal majority to 21 years of age would recognize the potential for measures that would help support the individuals which would establish educational and rehabilitative measures rather than punitive ones. This would begin to tackle mass incarceration in the state and dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline. According to Citizens for Juvenile Justice (CFJJ), Black teenage boys in America are 12.4 times more likely to be incarcerated in adult corrections than those who are white. This exacerbates racial and economic disparities in our communities by systematically stripping young Black boys of educational and economic opportunities. The legislature has the power to enact an act to Promote Public Safety and Better Outcomes for Young Adults which would ensure that young people who are incarcerated can participate in rehabilitation and educational programs that aren’t accessible in the adult correctional system.

Learn more here!

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