New York City has seen an alarming rise in juvenile crime since the state’s lax “Raise the Age Law” took effect, providing a startling incentive for gangs looking to exploit the Big Apple’s youth, one expert said.
The 2018 law, signed by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and endorsed by Gov. Kathy Hochul, raised the age of criminal responsibility from 16 to 18, ultimately allowing underaged defendants to avoid being tried as adults. The law also permits defendants as old as 21 to be held in juvenile detention facilities, instead of the typical adult centers…