Criminal Justice (Sentencing · Children)

This bill, known as the Directly Impacted Child Rehab and Safety Act, modifies federal laws to adjust how children are processed within the juvenile justice system. It raises the minimum age for federal juvenile delinquency proceedings from 12 to 13 and increases the age threshold for transferring older juveniles to adult criminal court from 15 to 16, with specific exceptions for serious violent crimes. The legislation also requires courts to consider factors such as a child's exposure to trauma and their role in an offense before deciding on transfers or sentencing. Additionally, the bill mandates the collection of detailed statistics on children in federal custody and authorizes grants to help state agencies better coordinate between child welfare and juvenile justice systems to support vulnerable youth.