Georgia is 1 of 3 last states who are able to prosecute minors as adults, regardless of the crime. House Bill 440, also known as the "Raise the Age," would raise the age of juvenile court jurisdiction to include 17-year-old minors. 

House Representative Mandi Ballinger introduced HB 440 on 2/22/2019, in hopes to revise the Juvenile code to include youth under the age of 18 to be tried in the juvenile court system versus the adult jurisdiction.

This Legislative Brief will provide you with information on HB 440, in regards to the problem, state policy analysis, legislative process, policy implementation, community stakeholders, and my own personal reflections.