Event: The Case for Establishing a Minimum Age for Juvenile Court Jurisdiction in Indiana
Series Name: Rightsizing the Juvenile Court Lunch Webinar Series Event
Title: Webinar I: The Case for Establishing a Minimum Age for Juvenile Court Jurisdiction in Indiana
There is no minimum age for prosecuting a child in juvenile court in Indiana. The Council of State Governments Justice Center and the Indiana Juvenile Justice Reform Task Force found that children as young as six years old are being arrested and charged in juvenile court in some counties throughout the state. Prosecuting young children can subject them to a variety of negative consequences that arise due to system involvement and increase the likelihood of reoffending. Instead, alternative interventions—such as school-based services, statewide and community mental health programs, and even child welfare system involvement—could benefit the child and increase public safety. Please join us for a discussion with experts and key community leaders on the need to “raise the age” on child prosecutions.
Featuring:
- [Moderator] Lisel Petis, Senior Fellow, Criminal Justice & Civil Liberties, R Street Institute
- Lindsey Grossnickle, Deputy Prosecutor, Whitley County Prosecutor’s Office
- Josh Rovner, Director of Youth Justice, The Sentencing Project
- Jennifer Woolard, PhD, Professor and Chair of the Psychology Department, Georgetown University