Lowering the age requirement for adult courts: An analytical framework

The influence of drugs, drug money, gang-related incidents and the ease of acquiring a lethal weapon are all contributing factors to the juvenile crime problem. In the past, we have tried two approaches to reducing the inordinate amount of crime: increasing the budget for law enforcement and imposing more stringent statutes and stiffer penalties on those apprehended. However, one particularly effective way to increase the sentence or fine for juvenile offenses, that has not been considered generally, is to reduce the age requirement for adult courts.