New California bill: Only 20-year-olds and up could be automatically tried as adults

The latest in a slough of sweeping changes to the state’s justice system, a new California State Senate bill would prohibit prosecutors from automatically charging anyone younger than 20 years old as an adult.

The bill, SB 889, was announced Tuesday morning by the office of State Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), who has been on the forefront of justice reform in California. This announcement comes a year after the passage of SB 1391, which bans prosecutors from charging anyone younger than 16 as an adult.

“When teenagers make serious mistakes and commit crimes, state prison is not the answer,” Skinner said in a news release. “Processing teenagers through the juvenile justice system will help ensure they receive the appropriate education, counseling, treatment, and rehabilitation services necessary to achieve real public safety outcomes.”

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