Nebraska lawmakers aim to lower the age for detaining kids for serious crimes to 11 and charging them as adults at 12
Lincoln: So, there’s a new proposal in Nebraska that could change how young offenders are treated. The state wants to lower the age for detaining kids from 13 to 11. This means kids as young as 11 could be held for serious crimes.
State Senator Merv Riepe is pushing this idea, saying it’s about safety for both the kids and the community. He believes that getting kids help early could prevent bigger issues down the road.
Right now, if a kid gets into serious trouble, they can be charged as an adult starting at 14. This new law would drop that age to 12. It’s all part of a plan from Governor Jim Pillen, who thinks the courts should have more power to keep kids in secure facilities if needed.
But not everyone is on board. State Senator Terrell McKinney is against the idea, arguing that locking kids up isn’t the solution. He feels it could unfairly impact kids of color and wants to focus on why these kids are getting into trouble in the first place.
There’s been a lot of talk about a recent case involving an 11-year-old boy in Omaha who faced serious charges. The community is concerned about how to handle such young offenders and what the best approach is.
Overall, this proposal is stirring up quite a debate in Nebraska about how to deal with juvenile crime and what’s best for the kids involved.
