A package of 14 bills moving rapidly through the U.S. House could significantly change Washington, D.C.’s approach to juvenile crime and public safety. The House Oversight Committee approved the package of bills in just days, and Washington D.C. officials are scheduled to testify about the city’s crime.
U.S. House to hear, vote on crime bills
The House Oversight Committee moved the bills through in under a week, signaling a fast push by Republicans to overhaul D.C.’s justice system. Because the Constitution gives Congress ultimate authority over the District, local leaders have limited ability to block the measures. Lawmakers cite last year’s spike in violent crime and continued concerns about youth offenses, with teens under 18 still responsible for more than half of robberies in 2024.
One controversial bill would allow 14-year-olds to be tried as adults, lowering the current threshold of 16. The legislation was sent Wednesday, Sept. 10, to the full House for a vote, while Chairman Rep. James Comer scheduled hearings to question city officials about what he describes as D.C.’s “soft on crime” policies.
“Despite opposition from Democrats, the Committee recently reinforced President Trump’s fight against lawlessness in D.C. by advancing comprehensive legislation that empowers local law enforcement, tackles the surging juvenile crime crisis and codifies the President’s Executive Order to restore safety and beauty to our capital city,” he said.
On Sept. 18, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Council Chairman Phil Mendelson and Attorney General Schwalb will appear before Comer and other lawmakers to answer questions about what he sees as the city’s failure to address rising violent crime.
Focus on juvenile justice reform
For decades, Washington, D.C., has experimented with reforms aimed at reducing juvenile incarceration and modernizing the justice system. Laws passed over the past 30 years expanded alternatives to detention and shortened sentences for certain offenses. They also gave judges more discretion in youth cases, efforts designed to balance public safety with rehabilitation.
Attorney General Brian Schwalb, who has pushed for reforms to lower repeat offenses, says the Department of Youth Rehabilitative Services supervises and supports serious juvenile offenders to keep them from re-offending. Still, a 2022 city study shows most youths in the system, nearly 93%, are arrested again. Almost half are convicted of a new crime.
D.C. has taken steps to reform its juvenile justice system with laws like the Comprehensive Youth Justice Amendment Act of 2016. The law limits pre-trial detention for kids, bans secure detention for status offenders, removes juveniles from adult facilities and allows record sealing for certain arrests. It emphasizes rehabilitation, keeps families informed and sets up programs to address the root causes of delinquency, aiming to reduce repeat offenses rather than relying solely on harsh punishment.
What bills are targeting juvenile crime?
H.R. 5242 would repeal the Incarceration Reduction Act of 2016 and the Second Chance Amendment Act of 2022, limiting sentence reductions for serious juvenile offenders and scaling back automatic expungement and sealing provisions.
Two bills specifically address juvenile crime. The DC Criminal Reforms to Immediately Make Everyone Safer Act, or DC CRIMES Act, lowers the age of youth offenders from under 25 to under 18 for certain crimes, removes judicial discretion to go below mandatory minimums and requires the D.C. Attorney General to maintain a public website with juvenile crime statistics.
The Sentencing Project warns that harsh punishments don’t make communities safer. Executive Director Kara Hotsch said, “Instead, they trap kids and parents behind bars, tear families apart and devastate communities for generations.”
Hotsch added that investing in community-based programs and interventions, addressing the root causes of crime, is far more effective. She said these approaches have worked in D.C. before President Donald Trump’s federal takeover and argued that if Congress approves the bills, it would not only undermine voter intent but also dismantle decades of criminal justice reforms, ultimately harming residents.
House Republicans, like Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., argue that rising crime in the nation’s capital, especially among youth, demands swift action. Leaders note that juvenile arrests have increased steadily since 2020, with over 2,000 juveniles arrested in 2023 and 2024 alone. Scalise said juveniles are behind 60% of carjackings as of April this year.
Republicans also point to historic staffing lows in the D.C. police force as reason for the new reform.
Bills aimed at public safety and local police
Several bills aim to bolster public safety and law enforcement. The Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act, codifies aspects of President Trump’s executive order by establishing a Safe and Beautiful Commission to recommend safety measures and citywide beautification plans.
The Common-Sense Law Enforcement and Accountability Now in D.C. Act, or CLEAN DC Act, and the District of Columbia Policing Protection Act restore police authority by repealing restrictive provisions of the 2022 policing reform law and allowing vehicle pursuits under controlled conditions.
Proponents say these changes help officers do their jobs effectively, while critics warn they could increase risk to bystanders. The debate follows high-profile incidents like the 2023 death of a 20-year-old during a police pursuit, which lawmakers cite as evidence for needed reforms.
Bills focused on the judicial system
Other measures focus on sentencing and pretrial rules. The District of Columbia Cash Bail Reform Act, requires mandatory pretrial detention for defendants charged with violent crimes and establishes cash bail for offenses affecting public safety.
The Strong Sentences for Safer D.C. Streets Act, updates mandatory minimums for violent crimes such as murder, rape, child sexual abuse, kidnapping, carjacking and burglary.
Bills creating more oversight in D.C.
Some bills focus on D.C.’s governance and congressional oversight. The District of Columbia Home Rule Improvement Act standardizes a 60-day congressional review period for council legislation, ends indefinite emergency law extensions and allows line-item vetoes. It also prevents the council from withdrawing bills from review or passing laws similar to those Congress has rejected.
The District of Columbia Electronic Transmittal of Legislation Act streamlines the process further by allowing council legislation to be transmitted electronically to Congress. Supporters say these measures reinforce accountability while preserving the oversight role Congress retained under the Home Rule Act.
What else is included in the crime package?
Other bills tackle public spaces, education and city leadership. One fines or briefly jails people camping on public property, while another reauthorizes the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program to keep students in school and prevent juvenile crime.
Two more shift appointments: judges and the D.C. attorney general would now be chosen by the president, aiming to boost accountability and keep law enforcement focused on public safety.
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