WHEREAS, New York State and North Carolina are the only states in the United States that treat youth offenders as adults after age 16, regardless of infraction or offense; and

WHEREAS, tens of thousands of 16- and 17-year-olds are arrested in New York each year and face the possibility of prosecution and incarceration as adults in New York criminal courts; and

WHEREAS, the vast majority of adolescents in New York State are prosecuted as adults for misdemeanors or minor crimes; and

WHEREAS, according to Raise the Age NY, 80 percent of incarcerated 16- and 17 -year-olds are African American or Latino; and

WHEREAS, studies have found that young people transferred to adult correctional facilities are 34 percent more likely to be re-arrested than adolescents who serve in juvenile correctional facilities; and

WHEREAS, studies have shown that young people in adult correctional facilities are twice as likely to report being beaten by staff and 50 percent are more likely to be attacked with a weapon; they also face the highest risk of sexual assault; and

WHEREAS adolescents sentenced to adult correctional facilities have few chances to gain skills and knowledge needed to successfully re-enter mainstream society; and

WHEREAS, Crain’s New York Business cites research showing that in Connecticut, for every dollar spent in moving young people from adult to juvenile correctional facilities, the state saved $3 in reduced crime and incarceration costs; and

WHEREAS, money saved in moving 16- and 17-year-olds from adult to youth correctional facilities could be invested in education, housing, job training, substance abuse counseling and other programs that have a positive impact on youth, and which can prevent young people from entering the criminal justice system; and

WHEREAS, adolescents who commit crimes benefit from education, interventions, counseling and other supports; and

WHEREAS, research on brain development has proven that the brain is not fully formed until people are in their 20s; and

WHEREAS, adolescents exhibit more impulsive behavior and are often unable to fully understand the consequences of their actions; and

WHEREAS, many students in New York City public schools who are arrested for misdemeanors and other crimes face prosecution and time in adult correctional facilities; therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the United Federation of Teachers will work with coalition partners, community groups and our membership to raise the age at which adolescents are sentenced as adults in New York State to 18.