Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny (R,C-Coney Island) joined a coalition of state lawmakers and district attorneys from both Saratoga and Delaware Counties today for a press conference in Albany to repeal “Raise the Age” laws that allow violent 16- and 17-year-old felony offenders to receive lighter sentences through the family court system.

“This sends a sickening message to teenagers who pick up a gun and shoot someone or who rob the local bodega at gunpoint. We cannot continue to give slaps on the wrist for these types of crimes and expect people to feel safe,” Brook-Krasny said. “Drug dealers and crime syndicates are recruiting young people to use as pawns due to this lenient law because they know the consequences will be light. Brooklyn is reeling from these soft-on-crime policies, and they must be repealed immediately.”

Offenses such as making a terroristic threat, homicide and armed robbery by individuals 16 and 17 years of age are routinely prosecuted in family court. In 2021, only 9% of those arrested for a felony received a felony conviction, according to the Department of Criminal Justice Services Raise the Age statistics.

 In a recent example, a 13 year old was charged with the fatal stabbing of another teenager on Coney Island. In a retaliatory attack, the boy was chased down and stabbed by a rival street crew and succumbed to his injuries the next day. The offenders had previous arrests for multiple felonies, including gun crimes.