House lawmakers passed two bills this week aimed at changing how Washington, D.C., handles young criminals, marking a significant shift in the district's juvenile justice system.
The first bill, called the D.C. Juvenile Sentencing Reform Act, passed by a narrow margin of 225 to 203. This legislation changes the age at which young people can be sent to adult court for serious crimes like murder and armed robbery.
Currently, anyone under 16 stays in the family court system designed for juveniles. The new law would allow prosecutors to move 14 and 15-year-olds to adult criminal court, where they could face harsher penalties.
Representative Andy Biggs supported the change, saying: "When you commit adult crimes, you should do adult time."
Second Bill
The D.C. Crimes Act received stronger backing, passing 240 to 179, creating bigger changes to D.C.'s youth justice system.
The bill lowers the maximum age for being treated as a young offender from 24 to 18 years old. Under current law, someone who commits a crime at 23 can still be handled through youth programs rather than regular adult court.
The legislation also limits D.C.'s ability to change its own sentencing laws and requires the city to publish crime statistics involving juveniles on a public website.
Representative Eli Crane criticized Democrats who opposed the bill, saying "they take the most bizarre stances" about the 178 Democrats who voted to keep treating 24-year-olds as juveniles.
Federal Control
Both bills represent Congress stepping in to override D.C.'s local government decisions. Since Washington, D.C. is a federal district, Congress has the power to change its laws even when city officials disagree.
The measures now go to the Senate, where their future remains unclear. These bills support President Trump's plans to address crime in the nation's capital through stricter enforcement policies.
The voting showed clear political divisions, though some Democrats were willing to support stricter approaches to youth crime, especially regarding older offenders currently treated as minors.
