The City: After ‘Horrifying’ Rochester Arrest, City Advocates Call on Cuomo to Keep Kids Out of Cop Hands

“Following the release of body-camera footage that showed Rochester police pepper-spraying a handcuffed 9-year-old girl, New York City advocates are renewing a push to raise the minimum age of criminal prosecution statewide.

In a letter sent to Governor Andrew Cuomo and Albany leaders on Wednesday, public defender groups from all five boroughs pushed for passage of legislation that would hike the minimum age of arrest and prosecution of children as juvenile delinquents in the state from 7 to 12.

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Gregg Stankewicz, director of the Adolescent Defense Project at Bronx Defenders, said the changes being pushed in Albany would mark a move toward a better juvenile justice system.

“It’s not going to eliminate all the issues, but you would hope that it’s going to reduce the number of very young children coming into contact with police,” he said.”

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