September 16, 2025–Due Process Institute urges members to vote NO on the District of Columbia Juvenile Sentencing Reform Act, H.R. 5140. The bill would lower the age for juveniles to be tried as an adult to 14 years of age.
Recently, the House Oversight and Government Reform (OGR) Committee marked up several bills that are, put simply, an unfortunate act of partisan politics. In August, the FBI released crime figures for 2024, which showed that violent crime is at its lowest point since 1969. Property crime is at its lowest point since 1968. Although we agree that one instance of violent crime is too much, we also believe that lawmakers have a responsibility to legislate in light of data and the truth is, violent crime and property crime are way down. Few would deny that crime in the District of Columbia remains a concern for those who live here. However, the bills recently marked up by OGR ignore the fact that the District of Columbia has made substantial progress, with crime dropping to a 30-year low in 2024.
We recognize that juveniles are responsible for a disproportionate amount of crime in the District. However, we also recognize that science explains that a human’s brain is not fully developed until a person reaches their mid-20s, which is why juvenile law treats children differently from adults. Additionally, the body of available research shows us that incarcerating juveniles only increases the likelihood of recidivism, leads to antisocial behavior, and continues to weaken social bonds.
We implore lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to understand that there are significantly better ways to address crime committed by juveniles than voting yes on this bill. This includes investing in after-school, drug treatment, therapy, mental health, mentoring, and tutoring programs. Exposing minors to the adult corrections system will only serve to do significantly more damage than it will provide benefits to our public safety.