Since our founding, CCA has fought for the freedom and wellbeing of young people. We played a pivotal role in winning Raise the Age legislation in New York State, successfully banned the box at SUNY to end educational discrimination against formerly incarcerated people, and combatted the school-to-prison pipeline in Syracuse by dramatically reducing short- and long-term suspensions. Now, we are holding judges, prosecutors, and courts accountable for Raise the Age implementation and fighting to keep even more young people out of the criminal legal system.
Letter to New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision
In October 2019, the Raise the Age NY coalition called on the New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) to eliminate solitary confinement for adolescents held in detention facilities. The letter also calls for the adoption of all provisions of the HALT Solitary Confinement Act.
Testimony to New York City Council Committee Hearing – “Raising the Age of Criminal Responsibility”
On January 19, 2017, the New York City Council Committees on Juvenile Justice and Courts and Legal Services held an oversight hearing called “Raising the Age of Criminal Responsibility.” CCA Executive Director David Condliffe and CCA Director Justice Strategies Emily NaPier testified before the committees in support of the expansion and replication of programs like CCA’s Youth Advocacy Project in order to support justice-involved youth.
Raising the Age of Criminal Responsibility – First Annual Report
In August 2019, the New York State Raise the Age Implementation Task Force released its first report on the progress of RTA implementation. The Task Force, of which CCA Executive Director David Condliffe is a member, concluded that the RTA implementation was on pace with its original timeline.
The report found that the first phase, which raised the age of criminal responsibility from 16 years of age to 17 years of age on October 1, 2018, was successful, and the state was prepared for the second phase, which would raise the age of criminal responsibility from 17 years of age to 18 years of age.