Rabb calls on House, Senate to move Juvenile Justice Reform bills
Bills proposed to protect children in the juvenile justice system, save taxpayer dollars
Rep. Christopher M. Rabb March 19, 2025 | 9:21 AM
HARRISBURG, March 18 – Standing with other House Democrats, state Rep. Chris Rabb, D-Phila., today called on House and Senate leaders to move a package of 10 bills that would enact badly needed reforms to the state’s juvenile justice system.
“We know this system isn’t working for Pennsylvania’s kids,” Rabb said. “Instead of giving them the help they need, our juvenile justice system is perpetuating a cycle of incarceration that is dooming our youth to a lifetime of interaction with our criminal justice system.
“This creates bad outcomes across the board – for the kids who are caught in the system without a way out and for the taxpayers who have to pay the bill. Instead of restorative justice, we have a carceral state that is predicated on the continued incarceration of individuals.
“How do we know we are failing our kids? Because four years ago a bipartisan report from this body told us where we were failing them. Not only that, but it also gave us 35 recommendations on how to fix the juvenile justice system – most of which have been ignored. The time to act is now.”
The package of legislation introduced this week, called the CARE Package, would enact many of those recommendation. The six state representatives behind the bills are Miller; Kinkead; Anthony Bellmon, D-Phila.; Rick Krajewski, D-Phila.; Chris Rabb, D-Phila.; and Melissa Shusterman, D-Chester.
Key reforms proposed in the CARE Package include:
- Repealing the requirement to automatically charge some children as adults and prohibit charging children as adults.
- Expanding and standardizing juvenile diversion programs.
- Excluding most vulnerable youth from placement in juvenile detention facilities.
- Limiting use of solitary confinement for juveniles.
- Guaranteeing Miranda rights protections for minors.
- Protecting justice-involved youths’ right to an education.
- Limiting probation terms for juveniles and use of delinquency versus dependency.
- Eliminating fines and limiting court fees imposed on juveniles.
- Expanding oversight and accountability of juvenile justice facilities.
- Ensuring juveniles receive credit for time served while awaiting adjudication.
The bills were introduced today at a news conference at the state Capitol in Harrisburg.