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At 18, Mass. Residents Are Tried As Adults. Lawmakers Could Raise That Age To 21

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Massachusetts lawmakers will likely consider a change that would raise the age at which someone is considered an adult in the criminal justice system.

The state's current court system views defendants as adults the day they turn 18. Now a task force will weigh raising the age of juvenile court jurisdiction by a few years — possibly as high as 21.

Sana Fadel, deputy director of Boston-based Citizens for Juvenile Justice, and Michael Cox, with the prison abolition advocacy group Black and Pink, joined WBUR's Morning Edition host Deborah Becker to talk about the possible change.

This segment aired on March 12, 2019.

Headshot of Deborah Becker

Deborah Becker Host/Reporter
Deborah Becker is a senior correspondent and host at WBUR. Her reporting focuses on mental health, criminal justice and education.

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