Lawmakers, advocates debate adding 19-year-olds to Vermont juvenile system amid staffing and data concerns

Lawmakers and witnesses at a Judiciary committee hearing reviewed whether Vermont should expand juvenile-jurisdiction "raise the age" provisions to include 19-year-olds, with defenders, racial-equity staff and youth-justice advocates urging more resources and clearer data before moving forward.

"We're not opposed to further delay of the expansion to age 19," said Marshall Paul, deputy defender general and chief juvenile defender, while arguing the office supports the policy but wants implementation done in a way that can work. Susana Davis, executive director of racial equity for the state of Vermont, urged lawmakers to "just say what it's going to take" to make the change sustainably and requested better data on seasonality, staffing and housing needs for older youth.

The hearing focused on several recurring concerns: which crimes must be filed in family (juvenile) division versus criminal court, how transfer hearings can delay resolution and harm victims, whether the state's attorney can direct-file a case as a youthful offender (YO) when 19-year-olds are within juvenile jurisdiction, and whether existing DCF and court staffing levels can absorb any increased caseload.

Witnesses described how statute-by-statute filing rules affect case paths.…