RAISE THE AGE - ACT 201
Vermont's Act 201 raises the age of what is considered a juvenile in a court setting. In most states, juveniles are those 17 years old and younger. In Vermont, the age of a juvenile is slowly being raised to include those up to 21 years old. The age had its first rise in July of 2020, when the age was raised to 18. The age will continue to increase by one year every summer until it includes 21 year olds. Juveniles in Vermont cannot be sentenced to detention facilities unless they commit a "Big 12" crime. This means that all juveniles who commit a crime that is not a Big 12 will go through the family court system rather than criminal court, limiting youth contact with the criminal justice system. While research suggests that early contact with the criminal justice system leads to later contact, there is limited research on whether juveniles who enter a diversion or alternative program through the family court system have later contact with the criminal justice system, largely due to confidentiality issues. As research progresses and policies like this becomes more mainstream, it is crucial that a method of evaluation is created for long-term follow up on juveniles who have participated in these alternative programs and any subsequent contact with the justice system.