OSSINING – With a backdrop of the
Sing Sing Correctional Facility at Ossining on Friday, State Senator David
Carlucci brought together a number of supporters of legislation that would
raise the age of juvenile offenders from 16 to 18. That means a youth
committing a crime at age 16 or 17 would be considered as a juvenile if
the measure proposed by the governor is approved by the legislature.
Carlucci, podium, announces his support for the age change
Youths who are now considered as adults at ages 16 and 17 often wind
up worse off in the long run, Carlucci said.
“What we have seen is the recidivism rate is so high that any of
the people that do get out of prison after they served when they are 16
and 17 years old, they are committing crimes that are worse than they
were sent to prison in the first place,” he said.
Carlucci was joined outside Sing Sing by officials of the NAACP, Families
Together in New York State and Westchester Children’s Association.
