The Sentencing Project Condemns House Passage of Bills Threatening D.C.’s Autonomy and Youth
U.S. House of Representatives passed a set of bills that rolls back progress and poses a serious threat to the District of Columbia, endangering our communities and targeting youth.
Related to: Sentencing Reform, Youth Justice
[Washington, D.C.] — Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a set of bills that rolls back progress and poses a serious threat to the District of Columbia, endangering our communities and targeting youth.
Kara Gotsch, executive director of The Sentencing Project said:
“This vote is a disturbing example of political theater masquerading as community safety, and it sets a dangerous precedent for federal interference in local justice systems. These bills will mistreat vulnerable children in need of support, exacerbate racial disparities that already plague the District’s justice system, and make us less safe.
“Black youth account for over 93% of youth arrests in the District, despite making up just 59% of the youth population. Lowering the age at which children can be prosecuted as adults will funnel even more Black children into a system that was never designed to support their growth or rehabilitation.
“By passing these bills, the House has decided to ignore decades of research, and the voices of District voters, to carry out the White House’s agenda to criminalize youth,” Gotsch continued. “The Sentencing Project urges the Senate to reject these harmful proposals and instead invest in policies that promote rehabilitation, fairness, and community safety. The future of D.C. — and the integrity of our legal system — depends on it.”
H.R. 5140 would allow 14- and 15-year-olds to be charged as if they were adults, despite decades of research showing that youth prosecuted in the adult system are more likely to commit future violent offenses. Combined with proposed mandatory minimums in H.R. 5172, which has passed out of Committee and is not yet scheduled for a floor vote, this bill would result in unconstitutional mandatory life-without-parole sentences for children.
H.R. 4922 targets the Youth Rehabilitation Act (YRA), a proven tool that allows judges to use discretion and evidence-based practices when sentencing young people. The YRA has been instrumental in reducing reoffending and supporting successful reentry. Gutting its most effective provisions would be a devastating setback for youth justice in D.C.
