Trump wants DC to charge 14-year-olds as adults. Here's where the district's laws stand
More than two weeks after a 19-year-old former DOGE staffer was allegedly assaulted in DC by a group of teens, the president suggested that decades of Democratic leadership in the district were to blame for a system that seems to let violent juvenile offenders off the hook.
Youth arrests reached a post-pandemic high in 2023, before falling the following year, according to DC government statistics. But from January 2025 until the end of June, DC Metropolitan police had arrested juveniles at the highest rate in that time period since 2019.
'Local 'youths' and gang members, some only 14, 15, and 16-years-old, are randomly attacking, mugging, maiming, and shooting innocent Citizens, at the same time knowing that they will be almost immediately released,' Trump said on Truth Social earlier this month. 'The Law in DC must be changed to prosecute these 'minors' as adults, and lock them up for a long time, starting at age 14.'
Trump and US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro's criticism of DC's juvenile justice system highlights a longstanding rift between the US attorney's office and that of the DC attorney general, which prosecutes juvenile offenses in the district.
The district's current laws don't allow juvenile offenders younger than 15 to be prosecuted as adults in the vast majority of cases. But offenders under 18 can still end up in the adult justice system in one of two ways. Federal prosecutors from the DC US attorney's office can unilaterally charge 16 and 17-year-olds as adults when facing four of the most serious criminal charges on the books: murder, sexual assault, armed robbery, and assault with conspiracy to commit the three offenses.
Alternatively, the district's attorney general's office – which has jurisdiction over most juvenile crimes – can petition a judge to charge juvenile offenders 15 and up as adults but must prove that the defendant lacks 'reasonable prospects for rehabilitation' in the juvenile system.
In a statement, a spokeswoman for the DC attorney general's office touted the office's prosecution rates for violent juvenile offenses, writing that the office 'prosecutes all serious and violent crimes committed by juveniles where we have the evidence required to do so, and we seek to hold young people accountable if they harm others.'
Trump ally Pirro, who was confirmed this month as US Attorney for DC, has targeted three laws to change or overturn.
The top DC federal prosecutor last week attacked the district's 2018 Youth Rehabilitation Act, which was enacted to 'separate youth offenders from more mature, experienced offenders,' citing the case of a 19-year-old who shot another Metrobus passenger and was sentenced to probation under the act. The law raised the upper age limit of juvenile offenders for sentencing purposes from 22 to 24 in 2018 – and permits judges to seal convictions after offenders serve their sentences, except in cases of homicide and sexual abuse.
Pirro similarly criticized the 2021 Incarceration Reduction Amendment Act, which lets all offenders convicted before age 25 to ask for a sentencing reduction after serving 15 years in prison. The law requires judges to evaluate 11 factors – ranging from the defendant's own childhood abuse history and mental health evaluations to victims' statements – in determining whether the petitioner poses a danger to any community member, and that the 'interests of justice' warrant a sentence modification.
'I know evil when I see it, no matter the age – and the violence in DC committed by young people belongs in criminal court, not family court,' Pirro said in a statement to CNN. 'We're not dealing with kids who need a pat on the back – we're dealing with a wave of brutal violence that demands a serious response. While others debate causes, families are burying loved ones, and the only way to stop this is to treat violent offenders like the criminals they are.'
She also claimed that the 2022 Second Chance Amendment Act allows for the 'stunning erasure of criminal convictions' by allowing all defendants to move for certain criminal convictions to be sealed or expunged.
Some criminal justice experts and local officials say that Trump and Pirro's vision for DC is out-of-date and harkens back to the rhetoric of historic crime waves in the 1990s.
Compared to their counterparts at the US attorney's office, the DC attorney general's office 'is much more grounded in research about what works and what doesn't work and about what is developmentally appropriate,' said Eduardo Ferrer, an associate professor of law and policy director of the Juvenile Justice Initiative at Georgetown University.
'I'm not prepared to just throw away the key on our young people, and most people are not,' said DC Councilmember Christina Henderson, adding that she believes that attacks largely ignore the complexities of the city's justice system. 'I feel strongly that the district should be able to make that decision for themselves, because these are our kids.'
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Fast Company
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Vox
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Republicans are making a very simple, unforced mistake with Latino voters
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Newsweek
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Nationwide Anti-Trump Protests Planned For Labor Day: What to Know
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A series of nationwide anti-Donald Trump protests are set to take place on Labor Day. 50501, a group that emerged in early 2025 and is short for "50 protests, 50 states, one day," called their latest series of protests "Workers Over Billionaires." Newsweek contacted the organizers by email to comment on this story. Why It Matters Since assuming office in January, there have been multiple coordinated protests from different groups against Trump with people speaking out against his cuts to government departments, strict immigration policies and handling of the economy among other issues. August 16, 2025: Protesters gathered on the south steps of the Texas State Capitol for Fight the Trump Takeover, National Day of Action, and redistricting rally. Austin, Texas. August 16, 2025: Protesters gathered on the south steps of the Texas State Capitol for Fight the Trump Takeover, National Day of Action, and redistricting rally. Austin, Texas. Mario Cantu/CSMCredit Image: © Mario Cantu/Cal Sport Media) (Cal Sport Media via AP Images One protest took place on the Memorial Day weekend, while others targeted Flag Day and Trump's birthday. Another took place in Scotland when protesters demonstrated against Trump's recent visit to the country. Protests will put pressure on the president and weaken the extent to which he can say he commands broad support. However, the protests are not universal either and the President is still popular with his supporters. What To Know The protest takes place on Labor Day, a federal holiday dating back to 1894 recognizing workers' contributions to America. This year, it falls on September 1. On the website, the organizers listed the following demands: Stop the billionaire takeover corrupting our government. Protect and defend Medicaid, Social Security, and other programs for working people. Fully funded schools, and health care and housing for all. Stop the attacks on immigrants, Black, indigenous, trans people, and all our communities. Invest in people not wars." They posted a picture of a map detailing where some of the protests will take place. A map shows some of the protests taking place on Labor Day. A map shows some of the protests taking place on Labor Day. What People Are Saying Speaking to Newsweek, Mark Shanahan who teaches American politics at the University of Surrey in the U.K. said: "Trump won't be too worried about protests. He never has to run for election again and doesn't need to win round those who oppose him. Protests won't surprise him. Close to half the country didn't vote for him in 2024 and rather than use his presidency to heal the nation, he has gone out of his way through DOGE, ICE, deploying The National Guard and a slew of divisive Executive Orders, to fan the flames of division. "It will play into his narrative of ongoing American carnage for these protests to get out of hand and turn violent," he added. "Trump loves a fight and to cast himself as some kind of blonde avenger. So, in order to have any impact, these protests need to take a different line. The one thing Trump really hates is being laughed at. He despises being humiliated. Governor Gavin Newsom of California is having an impact through his memes trolling Trump. They're clearly getting under the president's notoriously thin skin. If 50501 can build on that vibe and use humor to expose some of the Administration's failings, they may prick Trump's pomposity in a way that could damage Republican chances in the Midterms next year." A statement posted on the protest's website read: "Labor and community are planning more than a barbecue on Labor Day this year because we have to stop the billionaire takeover. Billionaires are stealing from working families, destroying our democracy, and building private armies to attack our towns and cities. "Just like any bad boss, the way we stop the takeover is with collective action. We are May Day Strong, working people rising up to stop the billionaire takeover—not just through the ballot box or the courts, but through building a bigger and stronger movement. "On Sept. 1 we will continue the movement we launched on May 1st. Thousands of communities across the country are taking a stand on Labor Day, join us!" What Happens Next In a separate protest, the AFL-CIO is organizing nationwide rallies on Labor Day to build support for workers. More protests against the Trump administration are likely to take place as his presidency continues.
