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Center For Community Alternatives Trains On The Raise The Age Law Center for Community Alternatives trains on the Raise the Age Law

By Max Chadwick

(***ANC***)
Last month, the second phase of New York’s Raise the Age law came into effect. NCC News’ Max Chadwick has more on how the Syracuse Center for Community Alternatives is spreading awareness.

(***TRACK ONE***)
Here at the Syracuse Center for Community Alternatives, a training is being conducted on New York’s Raise the Age law. The legislation raised the state’s age of criminal responsibility to 18. Marissa Saunders points out how big of an impact the law has had in its short time.
(***SOT ONE: Marissa Saunders/Center’s Director of Community Engagement and Justice Strategies***)
“Arrests among 16-year olds decreased by 36%…By 36% and that’s statewide. So when we look at that, that’s amazing. ”
(***TRACK TWO***)
Julia Davis echoed Saunders on how effective the law has been.
(***SOT TWO: Julia Davis/New York Children’s Defense Fund’s Director of Youth Justice and Child Welfare***)
“What we’re seeing is that felony-charged young people who start their cases in the new youth part of the adult criminal court, eight out of ten of those are transferring to family court. So what we’re seeing is that the law is really working for young people.”
(***TRACK THREE***)
[STANDUP: MAX CHADWICK/REPORTER]
“Ultimately, what Saunders and Davis told me was that the Raise the Age Law ensures that juvenile delinquents get an extra opportunity”
(***SOT THREE: Julia Davis/New York Children’s Defense Fund’s Director of Youth Justice and Child Welfare***)
“Young people make mistakes and that’s part of life. And that a system that really creates a pathway forward for young people is what they want for their own kids.”
(***TRACK FOUR***)
While the statistics that Saunders and Davis told you show the success of the Raise the Age law, Saunders ultimately believes the stories of the people impacted are what drove the change.
(***SOT FOUR: Marissa Saunders/Center’s Director of Community Engagement and Justice Strategies***)
“You can look at it from the numbers, you can look at it from all these other standpoints but when you look at it from the emotional, mental, and physical standpoint of the impact, that is what moves people.”

(***TRACK FIVE***)
The Center will continue to try to move people as it’s training continues through tomorrow.

Max Chadwick, N-C-C News.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – Last month, the second phase of New York’s Raise the Age law came into effect. The law raised the state’s age of criminal responsibility to 18. New York was the second-to-last state to do this, with Texas being the only other. The first phase of the law came into place for 16 year olds last October, with 17 year-olds being included last month. At the Syracuse Center for Community Alternatives, a training is being conducted on the legislation. Marissa Saunders, the Center’s Director of Community Engagement and Justice Strategies points out how big of an impact the law has had in its short time.

“Arrests among 16-year olds decreased by 36%. By 36% and that’s statewide,” she said. “So when we look at that, that’s amazing. ”

Julia Davis, New York Children’s Defense Fund’s Director of Youth Justice and Child Welfare, echoed Saunders on how effective the law has been.

“What we’re seeing is that felony-charged young people who start their cases in the new youth part of the adult criminal court, eight out of 10 of those are transferring to family court,” she said. “So what we’re seeing is that the law is really working for young people.”

Ultimately, what Davis emphasized was that the Raise the Age Law ensures that juvenile delinquents get an extra chance at life.

“Young people make mistakes and that’s part of life,” Davis said. “And that a system that really creates a pathway forward for young people is what they want for their own kids.” 

While the statistics that Saunders and Davis said show the success of the Raise the Age law, Saunders ultimately believes the stories of the people impacted are what drove the change.

“You can look at it from the numbers, you can look at it from all these other standpoints,” Saunders said. “But when you look at it from the emotional, mental, and physical standpoint of the impact, that is what moves people.”

The Center will continue to try to move people as it’s training continues through Thursday as well as a job fair that day for those with a criminal record.

 

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