Criminal Justice (Juvenile Justice)

in committee · United States · House Jun 23, 2026

HR 9399: Juvenile Firearms Safety Act of 2026

The Juvenile Firearms Safety Act of 2026 makes it illegal for adults to give non-handgun firearms to minors who intend to use them for self-harm or crimes, and it also restricts adults from storing firearms in places where minors can easily access them. The law allows adults to avoid penalties if they keep guns locked up or on their person, and it considers factors like prior knowledge of a minor's mental health or violent behavior when determining liability. Penalties range from one year in prison for simple violations to up to ten years if a minor causes injury or death after receiving a prohibited firearm.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill restricts minors' access to firearms to prevent self-harm and crime, aligning with public safety and criminal justice reform goals.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Firearms Juvenile Justice

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in committee · United States · House Apr 29, 2026

HR 8588: Housing FIRST Act

This bill amends the Fair Credit Reporting Act to restrict how background information is shared with landlords when screening potential tenants. It directly affects individuals with criminal records by prohibiting consumer reporting agencies from including specific data in reports used for rental housing decisions. Key provisions ban the inclusion of arrest records, juvenile adjudications, expunged convictions, and cases resolved through diversion programs, while also preventing the reporting of convictions that have been completed or where the individual is currently on probation or parole. Additionally, the legislation requires landlords who deny housing based on these reports to provide applicants with the specific reasons for the denial within three days. Finally, the bill prevents states from setting their own time limits for how long certain types of criminal information can be excluded from these reports.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill restricts use of criminal records in housing, protecting civil rights and reducing barriers for individuals with past convictions.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill restricts use of criminal records in tenant screening, protecting individuals with records from housing discrimination and expanding access to rental housing.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice Probation & Parole Homelessness Renters Tenant Rights

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in committee · United States · House Apr 28, 2026

HR 8547: 'Directly Impacted Child Rehab and Safety Act

This bill, known as the Directly Impacted Child Rehab and Safety Act, modifies federal laws to adjust how children are processed within the juvenile justice system. It raises the minimum age for federal juvenile delinquency proceedings from 12 to 13 and increases the age threshold for transferring older juveniles to adult criminal court from 15 to 16, with specific exceptions for serious violent crimes. The legislation also requires courts to consider factors such as a child's exposure to trauma and their role in an offense before deciding on transfers or sentencing. Additionally, the bill mandates the collection of detailed statistics on children in federal custody and authorizes grants to help state agencies better coordinate between child welfare and juvenile justice systems to support vulnerable youth.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill raises minimum age for juvenile proceedings and limits adult court transfers, promoting rehabilitation and reducing harsh penalties for minors.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Juvenile Justice Sentencing Tags Children

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passed · United States · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SRES 55: A resolution recognizing January 2025 as "National Mentoring Month".

SRES 55 is a Senate resolution designating January 2025 as "National Mentoring Month." It formally recognizes the value of mentoring relationships in supporting youth development, highlighting benefits like improved academic outcomes, mental health, career exploration, and reduced juvenile delinquency. The resolution encourages expanding mentoring programs in communities, schools, and workplaces to address the "mentoring gap" where one-third of U.S. youth lack consistent mentorship. As a symbolic measure, it aims to raise public awareness and promote cross-sector collaboration without creating new laws or funding.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill promotes mentoring programs to reduce juvenile delinquency, which directly addresses criminal justice reform by preventing youth from entering the justice system.75% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill promotes mentoring programs in schools for improved academic outcomes and addresses 'mentoring gap,' encouraging expansion to support youth development within education context.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice

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passed · United States · Senate Feb 5, 2026

SRES 600: A resolution recognizing January 2026 as "National Mentoring Month".

This resolution designates January 2026 as "National Mentoring Month" to raise public awareness about mentoring programs. It recognizes the benefits of mentoring for youth - including improved academic performance, mental health, career development, and reduced risk of delinquency - and highlights that 40% of U.S. youth lack a mentor. The Senate encourages community, school, and workplace efforts to expand existing mentoring programs and recruit volunteers to support young people. It does not create new laws or funding but aims to promote existing mentoring initiatives across the country.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill promotes mentoring programs to reduce youth delinquency risk, indirectly supporting crime prevention and criminal justice reform goals.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice

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in committee · United States · Senate Jan 29, 2025

S 299: Mentoring to Succeed Act of 2025

The Mentoring to Succeed Act of 2025 creates a federal grant program to fund structured mentoring initiatives for eligible youth. It authorizes competitive grants to community-based organizations and partnerships that provide mentoring programs designed to help youth develop cognitive and social-emotional skills, prepare for high school success, and transition to postsecondary education or employment. Programs must serve youth from underserved communities, include trauma-informed mentor training, coordinate with local schools and employers, and report annually on outcomes like academic achievement, employment, and social-emotional development. The bill also requires a study on effective mentoring practices to inform future program design.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds mentoring programs for at-risk youth to prevent justice system involvement, aligning with reform goals of reducing recidivism through early intervention and trauma-informed support.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates federal grants for mentoring programs targeting underserved youth to develop skills, prepare for high school/postsecondary success, and improve educational access through funding.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill funds mentoring programs to help youth transition to employment, supporting workforce development and job readiness for underserved communities.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice K-12 Education

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in committee · United States · Senate Feb 24, 2025

S 687: BCRA of 2025

This bill, the Births in Custody Reporting Act of 2025 (BCRA), requires states receiving certain federal crime control funds to submit quarterly, anonymized reports to the Attorney General about pregnant individuals or those who gave birth while incarcerated in state or local facilities (including jails, prisons, and juvenile facilities). The reports must include data on pregnancy outcomes, prenatal and postpartum medical care, restraint use during pregnancy or delivery, and placement in restrictive housing. States failing to comply face potential reductions of up to 10% in their allocated federal funds for the relevant program. The Attorney General must publish these reports publicly and conduct a study on the data to improve care and examine health outcomes for incarcerated pregnant individuals.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates data collection on pregnancy care and restraint use for incarcerated individuals, promoting transparency and potential reform in correctional healthcare, aligning with civil rights protections in criminal justice.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates reporting on prenatal/postpartum medical care and restraint use for incarcerated pregnant individuals, supporting healthcare oversight and patient rights in a vulnerable population.80% confidence

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking Juvenile Justice Women's Health

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in committee · United States · House Apr 28, 2025

HR 3039: PROSPER Act of 2025

The PROSPER Act of 2025 authorizes $25 million annually (2026-2030) from juvenile justice funds to award grants for youth gun violence prevention programs. It directly affects at-risk youth by requiring grantees to implement evidence-based strategies focused on trauma healing, youth empowerment, mental health connections, community engagement, and gun safety education. Key provisions mandate that programs must be culturally competent, trauma-informed, and inclusive of youth with past exposure to violence or the justice system. Eligible recipients include community organizations, tribes, colleges, and nonprofits - not law enforcement agencies.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds youth gun violence prevention programs with trauma healing, mental health, and community engagement - evidence-based strategies directly supporting criminal justice reform and reducing youth involvement in violence.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates mental health connections and trauma healing as key strategies for youth gun violence prevention, directly advancing mental health services within its provisions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms Juvenile Justice Law Enforcement Mental Health

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in committee · United States · Senate Dec 11, 2025

S 3461: RISE from Trauma Act

The RISE from Trauma Act establishes grants for community coordinating bodies to address trauma and build resilience, particularly for children and youth affected by violence, substance use, or other traumatic experiences. These grants (up to $6 million each for 4 years) require diverse community stakeholders - including healthcare providers, schools, law enforcement, and community organizations - to collaborate on identifying local needs and developing trauma-informed strategies. The legislation prioritizes communities with high rates of overdose deaths, violence-related deaths, or involvement in child welfare and juvenile justice systems. It also expands existing programs like the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, creates hospital-based interventions to prevent readmissions after trauma events, and establishes training for schools, law enforcement, and healthcare providers in trauma-informed care. Funding is authorized at $600 million annually from 2026-2033 for these initiatives.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds trauma-informed community programs addressing violence/trauma (a root cause of crime), involving law enforcement in collaborative prevention strategies to reduce recidivism.92% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires healthcare provider collaboration in trauma programs, advancing mental health services for youth through federal grants90% confidence

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice Law Enforcement Hospitals Substance Abuse

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in committee · United States · Senate Dec 15, 2025

S 3482: First Step Implementation Act of 2025

The First Step Implementation Act of 2025 makes significant changes to sentencing and corrections policies. It modifies drug sentencing by expanding the definition of "serious drug felony or serious violent felony" and creates a process for courts to reduce sentences for people convicted as adults for crimes committed before age 18. The bill also establishes automatic sealing of juvenile nonviolent offense records after 3 years of clean record and provides procedures for expunging certain juvenile records upon reaching age 18. Additionally, it requires the Attorney General to correct inaccurate or incomplete criminal records and gives individuals the right to challenge the accuracy of their records. These provisions primarily affect individuals with juvenile records or those convicted of drug offenses under previous sentencing guidelines.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill reduces sentences for juvenile offenders, seals nonviolent juvenile records after 3 years, and expunges certain records - aligning with reform goals to reduce recidivism and protect civil rights.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Juvenile Justice Sentencing

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