Why Young People of Color Are Central To 'Raising The Age' Debates
The politics of raising the age in New York State are complicated: both liberals and conservatives broadly support raising the age in principle, but question the governor's proposal.
Earlier this week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York attended an event at a Manhattan synagogue in which he sharply criticized the city for not closing Rikers Island, the city's notorious jail.
"Kids are literally dying because of the policy we have today," . "These are poor people who are members of minority groups who have long histories of being discriminated against." The audience cheered Cuomo at the event for "raising the age" — that is, changing state laws so that 16- and 17-year-old offenders are sent into the juvenile
