As someone who has run four criminal and juvenile justice departments in three jurisdictions under five different administrations, I have seen more than my share of harm come to, and be committed by, people – young and old.

That’s why I find it understandable when elected and appointed leaders from President Donald Trump , to Gov. Kathy Hochul , to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch call for trying more teenagers as adults.

Understandable, but still bad public policy.

We have seen this movie before. During the 1990s, following a spike in youth and adult violence, nearly every state made it easier to try juveniles as adults . The results were disastrous. The number of young people tried as adults mushroomed nationally to around a quarter million annually. During that time, New Yo

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