YES ACT
KIDS DON'T BELONG
IN THE ADULT SYSTEM.
Right now, children as young as 14 are automatically charged as if they were adults for 33 offenses in Maryland.
Automatically charging kids as if they were adults puts them in danger, makes our communities less safe, and wastes resources.
We can do better.
Maryland must pass the Youth Equity & Safety Act.
WHAT IS THE YOUTH EQUITY & SAFETY ACT?
The Youth Equity & Safety Act, or the YES Act, is common-sense legislation that would end the practice of automatically charging youth as young as 14 in adult court for certain charges. It is a research-based crime reduction policy which would also help reduce the overrepresentation of youth of color in the Maryland court system and provide more opportunities for rehabilitation. It does not stop a prosecutor from seeking to move up a teenager’s case to adult court, but ensures that all cases begin in juvenile court with the option to be moved up. Research shows spending time in the adult system makes young people more likely to reoffend, puts them increased risk of physical and sexual assault and isolation from their families, and is incredibly expensive.
WHY SAY YES TO THE YOUTH EQUITY & SAFETY ACT?
BETTER FOR OUR KIDS
Charging kids as adults exposes them to increased isolation, physical violence, and sexual violence.
Automatic charging also ignores definitive research that adolescent brains are rapidly developing and have yet to reach full maturity. Services and treatment in juvenile facilities are evidence-based and preventative. According to the U.S. Dept. of Justice, “intensive juvenile placements are relatively more beneficial than either adult prison or mild juvenile sanctions.”
BETTER FOR OUR COMMUNITIES
Youth charged in adult court are less likely to receive rehabilitative services, which makes them more likely to reoffend than similarly situated youth charged in juvenile court. Research overwhelmingly shows that charging kids as adults does not improve public safety.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice –”To best achieve reductions in recidivism, the overall number of juvenile offenders transferred to the criminal justice system should be minimized.”
MORE EFFICIENT
Between 2017-19, more than 87% of Maryland cases where a youth was charged in adult court did not result in an adult criminal conviction.
The automatic charging process is expensive and time-consuming, wasting resources that could go towards violence prevention and rehabilitative services that actually reduce crime.
MORE EQUITABLE
Automatic charging is a serious racial justice issue. 81% of the children automatically charged as adults in Maryland are Black. Black youth are more likely to be sent to adult prison and receive longer sentences than their white counterparts for similar offenses.
Implicit bias research shows that Black kids are more likely to be seen and treated as adults than white kids. The YES Act protects Black youth from discrimination.
