What is Raise the Age (RTA)? When was it passed?
Answer
"New York’s Raise the Age (RTA) Legislation changed the age that a child can be prosecuted as an adult to 18 years old in criminal cases in New York State. Prior to RTA, New York was one of two remaining states to treat all 16 and 17 years old as adults. RTA changed the age of criminal responsibility to:
- 17, as of October 1, 2018
- 18, as of October 1, 2019"
This law was enacted by L 2017, chapter 59, part WWW. It was approved and effective April 10, 2017. It can be found in Criminal Procedure Law, Article 722. Court Help's Raise the Age page explains when criminal records can be sealed and how offenders charged with felonies are classified.