Sponsors (7)
The bill increases adult prosecution of 14- and 15-year-olds—potentially improving perceived public safety for serious offenses but substantially raising risks of harsher punishments, unequal impacts on disadvantaged youth, reduced access to rehabilitation, and higher public costs.
Parents, families, and community members in affected areas — more serious cases involving 14- and 15-year-olds may be prosecuted in adult court, which could increase perceived public safety and a sense of accountability for grave offenses.
14- and 15-year-olds — will be more likely to be tried as adults, increasing their chances of adult sentences, longer incarceration, and exposure to the adult criminal system.
Low-income youth and racial minorities — face disproportionate increases in adult convictions and the severe long-term collateral consequences (criminal records, reduced opportunities) that follow.
Younger teens moved into the adult system — may lose access to juvenile rehabilitative services and age-appropriate programming, reducing opportunities for rehabilitation and increasing recidivism risk.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Lowers age thresholds in D.C. law so certain juveniles as young as 14 can be excluded from Family Court or transferred to adult criminal proceedings for offenses after enactment.
Lowers the age thresholds in the District of Columbia Code so that certain juveniles as young as 14, rather than 15–18 or 16, can be excluded from Family Court jurisdiction or transferred to adult criminal proceedings. The change applies only to offenses committed on or after the law’s effective date.
Introduced September 4, 2025 by Brandon Gill · Last progress September 17, 2025