Kids under 14 no longer accountable for crimes if new jersey law approved

Kids Under 14 No Longer Accountable for Crimes if New Jersey Law Approved

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1 min read
May 12, 2024

TRENTON, NJ—New Jersey is on track to pass legislation raising the minimum age for juvenile delinquency adjudications to 14 years. The bill proposes a significant change to the state’s juvenile justice system by redefining “delinquency” and the age at which individuals can be held accountable for criminal acts under juvenile law.

Currently, under the New Jersey Code of Juvenile Justice, “delinquency” encompasses various offenses that, if committed by an adult, would be considered criminal.

The state currently recognizes anyone under 18 as a juvenile. This bill, however, limits delinquency adjudications to those who are 14 or older, effectively altering the juvenile code’s definition of a “juvenile.”

Furthermore, the legislation mandates the creation of a Juvenile Justice working group by the Attorney General.

This group will be tasked with advising on the implementation of the new law and will include diverse members from the mental health community, law enforcement, civil rights and social justice organizations, child protection services, and the judiciary, among others.

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

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