According to the latest data from the New York City Police Department (NYPD), youth gun violence cases in New York City have increased by 15% compared to the same period last year, and have surged by 67% compared to 2018 before the pandemic.
So far in 2025, there have been 30 minors shot, far exceeding the 14 cases in the same period in 2018. At the same time, the number of teenage gunmen has increased from 10 in 2018 to 18 this year.
Former Assistant Chief of the Youth Strategies Bureau of the New York City Police Department, Kevin O’Connor, told the New York Post that the “Raise the Age legislation” is the main reason for the surge in youth gun violence cases. This legislation restricts the court from prosecuting suspects under the age of 18 as adults.
Under current laws, if a minor is found to be in possession of a firearm, they must be sent to family court. Before the “Raise the Age legislation” was enacted, 16- and 17-year-old suspects were directly arraigned in criminal court, with many ultimately being incarcerated at Rikers Island prison.
O’Connor also pointed out that a major problem with the current system is that judges cannot access the criminal records of juvenile defendants, leading to rampant recidivism. Judges, without the ability to review the past criminal records of young offenders during case hearings, are unable to make informed judgments. If judges could have a comprehensive understanding of the background of these youths, perhaps they could truly save these children and prevent them from becoming career criminals.