Sponsors (7)
The bill increases accountability for serious juvenile offenders by allowing 14-year-olds to be tried in adult criminal court while trading off greater exposure of young teens to harsher punishment, reduced rehabilitative opportunities, higher costs, and risks of exacerbating racial and disability disparities.
Victims of serious violent offenses and the broader public — 14-year-old offenders can be tried in criminal court for serious offenses, increasing the likelihood of adult criminal accountability for violent crimes.
People accused of crimes in the District of Columbia — the change applies only to offenses committed on or after enactment, preventing retroactive prosecution for past conduct.
Children aged 14–15 — are more likely to be moved out of Family Court into adult criminal court, exposing them to harsher penalties and adult correctional settings.
Children aged 14–15 and communities — reducing reliance on Family Court may limit access to rehabilitative services for young offenders, raising the risk of recidivism and long-term social costs.
Marginalized youth (especially racial and disabled youth) — increased prosecutorial discretion to move younger teens into adult court could worsen racial and disability disparities in charging, convictions, and sentencing.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Lowers specified D.C. juvenile code age thresholds so certain minors age 14 (rather than 15–16) may be excluded from Family Court and transferred to criminal proceedings.
Lowers the age thresholds in the District of Columbia juvenile code so that certain minors age 14 (instead of 15 or 16) are excluded from Family Court jurisdiction and may be transferred to criminal proceedings. The change applies to offenses committed on or after the date of enactment. This means some youth who previously would have remained in juvenile/family court procedures could instead be handled in criminal court starting at age 14 under the amended D.C. code provisions.
Official title: To lower the age at which a minor may be tried as an adult for certain criminal offenses in the District of Columbia to 14 years of age.
Introduced September 4, 2025 by Brandon Gill · Last progress September 17, 2025