Monroe Dispatch - No Struggle, No Progress

It has always been about the children, though not always in the way we had hoped.

The recent passage of new legislation in the Louisiana Senate, which may require all 17-year-olds who commit crimes to be tried and jailed as adults, has sparked widespread discussion and debate across the state. This legislation is not a new idea; Louisiana lawmakers have previously sought to treat 17-year-olds as adults in the criminal justice system.

Before 2016, Louisiana laws allowed judges, juries, and litigators to decide the sentencing of 17-year-olds, leading to varying outcomes. Advocates pushed for cha...