Assemblyman Joe DeStefano (R,C-Medford) joined a bipartisan push calling for the end to the so-called ”Raise the Age” law, which made it so adolescent youths aged 16 and 17 years who have committed violent felonies can more easily escape from the judgement of the Youth Part of the Superior Court. Instead, these individuals are tried in family court, where records are sealed and consequences are lighter. Violent felonies can include sex offenses, homicide and dangerous weapon offenses, which is why DeStefano wants the state to reconsider its stance on youths who commit these offenses.
“The subject is uncomfortable, but a violent crime is a violent crime, and no matter how sympathetic we may feel for a youth who was brought up in a lifestyle to commit them, they still must be held accountable for their actions,” DeStefano said. “The victims of these heinous crimes don’t have the freedom to weigh the morality of these decisions after they’ve been targeted, so it falls to the legislature to ensure that the punishment of these crimes is swift and deters participation in the future.”
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- Out of 3,303 arrests, only 257 were convicted
- 112 arrests were for homicide
- 80 arrests were for sex offenses
- 587 arrests were for dangerous weapon offenses
- 691 arrests were for robbery
- 213 arrests were for burglary
- 20 arrests were for making a terroristic threat
“These might be just numbers to the average person, but they’re real lives that have been shattered because of violent crime. We have an obligation to those victims and to all residents of New York state to repeal Raise the Age and give law enforcement the tools and language they need to carry out their jobs efficiently,” DeStefano concluded.
Assemblyman DeStefano represents the 3rd District, which consists of Suffolk County, including Medford and Mastic Beach. For more information please visit Assemblyman DeStefano’s Official Website.