As President Donald Trump ramps up his latest crackdown on crime in Washington, DC — backed by federal law enforcement and his recent deployment of National Guard troops — the president appears to be zeroing in on the city’s juvenile crime laws, sparking controversy and drawing pushback from legal experts and local leaders. Here is all you need to know about what’s happening and why it matters.
‘Lock Them Up’, Says Trump
The latest federal push comes weeks after a 19-year-old former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer was allegedly assaulted by teens in DC. In a post on Truth Social, Trump blamed “decades of Democrat leadership” for a system that he claims lets young offenders get away easily.
“Local ‘youths’ and gang members, some only 14, 15 and 16-years-old, are randomly attacking, mugging, maiming, and shooting innocent Citizens,” Trump wrote at the time, adding,
“The Law in DC must be changed to prosecute these ‘minors’ as adults, and lock them up for a long time, starting at age 14.”
What DC Law Actually Says
Currently, DC law does not allow kids under 15 to be charged as adults in most cases, according to a CNN report published Tuesday. However, teens aged 15 and above can be transferred to adult court if the DC Attorney General is able to prove that they are unlikely to be rehabilitated.
Meanwhile, federal prosecutors from the US Attorney’s Office can legally try 16 and 17-year-olds as adults for major crimes including murder, sexual assault, and armed robbery without requiring a judge’s approval.
Pirro Targets Three Youth Justice Laws
According to the report, Trump ally and newly appointed US Attorney Jeanine Pirro is pushing to roll back three DC laws:
- Youth Rehabilitation Act, which lets youth offenders up to 24 years of age get probation and have records sealed (except for homicide/sexual abuse).
- Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act, which allows sentence reviews for those convicted before the age of 25 after 15 years.
- Second Chance Amendment Act, which permits certain records to be sealed or expunged.
“We are not dealing with kids who need a pat on the back,” Pirro told CNN, adding, “While others debate causes, families are burying loved ones.”
Local Officials Push Back
DC Councilmember Christina Henderson, for her part, believes that Trump’s view ignores reality. “I am not prepared to just throw away the key on our young people. These are our kids.”
Observers believe that DC’s approach is “grounded in research” and more focussed on what actually works for youth rehabilitation.
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