LINCOLN, Neb. (KMTV) — Since 2017, officials said there's been a 1500% increase in felony juvenile crimes committed. A bill introduced could charge as a child as an adult as young as 12.
"We need better tools to address these issues," said Douglas County Attorney Don Kliene.
He said change in the juvenile justice system has been long overdue.
Sen. Merv Riepe, who introduced the bill, also wants to change the age a child can be detained by the state — that would go from 13 to 11.
"At its core, this legislation offers a balanced solution that prioritizes both public safety and meaningful intervention," said Riepe.
Others think the bill would only be detrimental to children's futures.
"What we have is a system that this kid is in trouble, only the police and the correctional institutions can invest in them, and they're not," said Jason Witmer with the ACLU of Nebraska.
LaVon Stennis-Williams, with ReConnect, Inc., works with at-risk youth in the Omaha area.
KMTV: What's the difference between an 11-year-old's brain and a 12-year-old's brain cognitively speaking?
Stennis-Williams: "Chronological age has nothing to do with my opinion on this."
"There needs to be an intermediate court system that's a little bit higher than juvenile and lower than adult to address those psychological issues, trauma, home factors."
She said change starts with solutions like being active in the community and at home.
"We have to have legislation that will hopefully now start a conversation and result in a happy medium that will best serve the community," she said.
