LANSING (WKZO AM/FM) — The Michigan Senate has approved “Raise the Age” legislation on a nearly unanimous vote, and sent it to the State House, where similar bills have already cleared Committee.
Co-sponsor Peter Lucido says 18 should be the age that a criminal suspect is automatically considered an adult, not 17. He says 17-year-olds can’t vote, join the military, sign a contract or get married without parental consent. It’s not fair to claim the become adults by committing crimes.
He says prosecutors and judges will still be able to prosecute suspects under 18 as adults on a case by case basis, when the crime and the criminal record justifies such treatment.
Supporters say 17-year-olds jailed with adults are statistically more likely to be abused or commit suicide, and come out of jail as career criminals.
46 other states have set the age for adult charges at 18.
The most vocal opponents of the legislation are Michigan County officials who fear they may get stuck with the cost of rehabilitating additional juvenile offenders, who would otherwise go to state prisons.
(copy written by John McNeill)
