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Seventeen-Year-Olds in the Seventeen-Year-Olds in the

Seventeen-Year-Olds in the - PowerPoint Presentation

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Seventeen-Year-Olds in the - PPT Presentation

NH Criminal Justice System Lauren Bowman Grace Hart Soo Jee Lee Kali Montecalvo Melanie Wilcox February 2011 1 INTRODUCTION Current State Policy 1996 NH state legislature enacted a law lowering the age of criminal responsibility from 18 to 17 ID: 643003

juvenile age olds year age juvenile year olds seventeen courts criminal court teen recidivism drawbacks states study amp case

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Slide1

Seventeen-Year-Olds in the NH Criminal Justice System

Lauren Bowman

Grace Hart

Soo

Jee

Lee

Kali

Montecalvo

Melanie Wilcox

February 2011 Slide2

1. INTRODUCTIONSlide3

Current State Policy1996: NH state legislature enacted a law lowering the age of criminal responsibility from 18 to 17Reasons:Political pressure: “tough on crime”

Age consistency with Massachusetts

Thought to be more cost effective than juvenile facilitiesSlide4

Seventeen-Year-Olds in NHMajority commit non-violent crimesex: Possession of drugs or alcohol, shoplifting

County

Seventeen-year-olds held (2007-8)

Belknap

2

Carroll

Data Unavailable

Cheshire

19

Coos

15

Grafton

16

Hillsborough

128

Merrimac

18

Rockingham

Data Unavailable

Strafford

58

Sullivan

33Slide5

ConcernsRising prison expendituresDevelopmental effects on seventeen-year-oldsSlide6

Policy OptionsKeep the same policyBlended sentencing

Raising the age of adulthood and expanding other programs:

Teen Courts

Alternative specialized courtsSlide7

2. Maintaining THE CURRENT AGE OF CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITYSlide8

Benefits of Treating Seventeen-Year-Olds as AdultsHold juvenile offenders accountable

General deterrence

Inconsistent evidence for this benefit

Age consistency with neighboring statesSlide9

Drawbacks of Treating Seventeen-Year-Olds as AdultsHigher recidivism rates

But no

data for NH

Exposure to criminal culture

Vulnerable to physical and/or sexual abuse

Fewer opportunities for meaningful rehabilitation in adult facilitiesSlide10

Implications for New Hampshire2006: Report on the Financial Impact of Age of Majority in NHRaising the age would transfer 1,214 seventeen-year-olds to juvenile justice system

607 cases open at any timeSlide11

Additional Costs of Treating Seventeen-Year-Olds as Juveniles

FY 2009

FY 2010

FY 2011

FY 2012

$5,392,119

$6,635,602

$7,901,640

$8,422,019

*These figures do not include the salaries and benefits of additional staff that would need to be hiredSlide12

Budget Implications for NH*The maximum average daily cost per resident at the Sununu Youth Services Center is $370 per daySlide13

Implications for NH (cont.)Recidivism data for NH unavailableStudies conducted in other states indicates higher recidivism when tried as adultsCounty superintendents reported holding seventeen-year-olds not burdensome

Didn’t have to create additional programsSlide14

Case Study: Wisconsin - BackgroundCategorical exclusion approach (1996)Goals:Individual accountability

Age consistency

Focus resources on younger offendersSlide15

Case Study: Wisconsin - ResultsTwo out of three goals achievedStudy of legislation from 2002-2006:Fewer than one-half completed probation

High recidivism rates

Significant fiscal effects if entered back into juvenile criminal systemSlide16

Other States with the Same PolicySlide17

Other States with the Same Policy (cont’d.)States that considered/enacted legislation to raise age since 2006:

Illinois

Rhode

Island

New York

Connecticut

Wisconsin

Missouri

North CarolinaSlide18

3. BLENDED SENTENCINGSlide19

OverviewMinimal age of criminal court jurisdiction is 18Choice between juvenile and criminal court sanctionsMore flexibilitySlide20

Case Study: VermontState’s Attorney decides where to fileFamily Court option80% of petitions begin in adult court, and most remain thereSlide21

Case Study: New MexicoEffective in 1993Eliminated judicial waiver provisionTwo types of offenders:Youthful offenders

Serious youthful offenders

Drawbacks, but overall deemed successSlide22

Case Study: MinnesotaThree changes (1994):‘Extended jurisdiction juvenile’ (EJJ) categoryJuvenile disposition and stayed sentence

Juvenile court jurisdiction until age 21

Compromise, but with drawbacks

Generally considered successSlide23

4. TEEN COURTSSlide24

BackgroundVoluntary alternative for teens convicted of non-violent crimesSentence determined by fellow teensSome run by the state,

others by non-profits and municipalitiesSlide25

Benefits and Drawbacks of Teen CourtBenefitsAccountability without stigmatizationFosters social bonds and pro-social attitudes

Drawbacks

Can’t handle all cases

Voluntary programs

Effectiveness not establishedSlide26

Teen Courts in New HampshireNot in state law, but some still operating in the stateChild and Family Services of New Hampshire operates Upper Valley Youth Court Merrimack County Department of Human Services runs the Merrimack County Teen CourtSlide27

5. AlTERNATIVE SPECIALIZED COURTSSlide28

Juvenile Drug Courts: BackgroundRationale: Reduce overall costs to criminal system by lowering recidivism rateCommunity-based treatment programs, diverse support services, intensive judicial supervisionSlide29

Juvenile Drug Courts in NH:BackgroundOne of top ten states in nation in teen drug & alcohol use

Increasing

juvenile drug charges and arrestsSlide30

Juvenile Drug Courts: Benefits & DrawbacksBenefits

Increased options

Immediate incentives & sanctions

Increased coordination

More expedient & targeted response

Drawbacks

Major unique challenges

Negative peer influence

Psychological

EffectivenessSlide31

6. RecommendationSlide32

Conclusion & RecommendationKeep the same policy Likely more cost-effective

Able to provide adequate services

Adapt or blend alternative sentencing approaches

Developmental concerns

Establish recidivism definition and data tracking mechanisms

Would provide greater accuracy