“I think it is really cynical and wrong that in this one instance we’re magically deciding that a 17-year-old becomes an adult.”⁠ ⁠ - - - -⁠ ⁠ Ten days ago, the #RaisetheAge (RTA) legislation that considered 17-year-olds as children in the juvenile legal system was officially repealed. This marks #Louisiana as the first state to repeal RTA legislation and one of only 4 states (Georgia, Texas & Wisconsin) that prosecute 17-year-olds as adults.⁠ ⁠ The same legislative body that voted for this repeal also voted against providing education, vocational training, and mental health resources for children who will now be automatically placed in adult jails and prisons.⁠ ⁠ Our state continues to fail its youth when they need us most and repeatedly prioritizes punishment over rehabilitation. Ultimately, this decision won’t make us safer and will only further cement Louisiana as the most incarcerated state in the nation.