Opposition to House Bill 1923
Raising the Age to 21: A Well-Intentioned but Misguided Step
The Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association has submitted testimony opposing House Bill 1923, which would raise the age of juvenile jurisdiction to 21.
While the bill aims to promote better outcomes for youth, it would create major challenges for public safety, campus investigations, and accountability. At 18, individuals can vote, serve in the military, sign contracts, and even sit on a jury to determine someone else’s guilt, yet under this proposal, they would not be fully responsible for their own criminal actions.
Massachusetts already provides extensive diversion and rehabilitation opportunities for young adults, and data show that very few 18- to 21-year-olds receive convictions for minor offenses. Expanding the juvenile system to include this population is unnecessary, costly, and operationally impractical.
Read our full testimony to the Joint Committee on the Judiciary here: 
https://drive.google.com/…/1JUy8N…/view…
