Louisiana To Raise Age Of Juvenile Justice Jurisdiction To Include 17-Year-Olds

On June 14, 2016, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards signed legislation, Senate Bill (SB) 324, to raise the age of juvenile justice jurisdiction in the state, from age 16 to age 17. Previously 17-year-old offenders were automatically sent to the adult criminal justice system. In 2014, about 6,000 17-year-olds were arrested in Louisiana.

A 2003 federal law, The Prison Rape Elimination Act, requires that juveniles under age 18 must be housed in a physically separate area from adult offenders. The federal Department of Education requires states to ensure that incarcerated individuals under age 18 (or . . .