Washington children charged as adults usually not white

In 2018, Washington passed a law to limit the number of children charged as adults. Supporters of the law argued that the legislation was necessary to prevent needlessly harsh sentences, noting that kids of color were more likely to be charged as adults than white children.

Within five years, the number of kids charged as adults in 2023 had dropped by more than half, state data shows, which led to a more than 80 percent reduction of a transfer to adult court.

But advocates and lawmakers are left with a problem: White children remain far less likely to be transferred to adult court than children of other races. In 2023, 83 percent of all children charged as adults were not white, according to data from the Washington Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

“All that’s left are youth