Massachusetts Could ‘Raise the Age’ of Juvenile Prosecution

"Raise the Age" legislation is expected to be introduced in the Massachusetts Senate again this year, where it has found support in the past but has failed to be embraced in the House.

Senate President Karen Spilka, while outlining her priorities for the 2025-2026 legislative session, told lawmakers on New Year's Day that she plans to bring the measure back for consideration.

The independent nonprofit Citizens for Juvenile Justice is leading the charge for age change through its RaisetheAgeMA project as one of "60 non-profits, grassroots organizations, and service providers working with young people across Massachusetts" under the umbrella of the Massachusetts Coalition for Juvenile Justice Reform.

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State House News Service reported that Spilka's proposed legislation would "gradually expand juvenile jurisdiction to include young adults up to age 18, meaning people ages 19 and older would be subject to the adult criminal justice system."

Citizens for Juvenile Justice would prefer legislation to "gradually raise the age of juvenile jurisdiction to include 18-20-year-olds" over a "5-year implementation period to allow the various agencies to adjust to the programming and staffing to accommodate this newer population."

Citizens for Juvenile Justice says, "Raising the age to 21 refers to the age at which an individual is subject to the (adult) criminal justice system."

Massachusetts raised the age to include 17-year-olds in the juvenile system in 2013.

Citizens for Juvenile Justice says since the change, "juvenile crime has declined significantly in the Commonwealth."

"The juvenile system typically imposes more supervision and intensive programming while in confinement than the adult criminal justice system," according to the nonprofit.