M. Mena, Ph.D., a Policy and Budget Analyst from Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York, testified December 3, 2019 in front of the New York
City Council Committee on the Justice System and the Committee on Criminal Justice regarding implementation of Raise the Age.

Mena testified that in the last two years, CCC has monitored its implementation, which removed all 16-year and 17-year-olds from Rikers’ Island Adult Correctional facility in October 2018 and October 2019, resepectively. Thus far, the data suggests that the city is heading in the right direction.

In support of Int. 1628, Mena said the reporting requirements would offer public data to allow a fuller picture of the juvenile justice system in New York.