Washington, DC Attorney General Brian Schwarb recently expressed his commitment to holding young offenders accountable after his office reviewed reports of violent incidents involving youth, as discussed on CNN’s “Arena with Casey Hunt.”
Amid the announcement that the National Guard would be deployed to the capital, critics from the Democratic party and media voiced their disapproval of President Donald Trump’s actions. Over the course of a segment, Hunt asked Schwarb if the existing law allowing judges to provide more lenient sentences for those “up to 24” would still apply in light of the concerning headlines surrounding violent attacks.
“These stories, they’re unlike what I saw when I first arrived here. For instance, there was a case earlier this year where a 13-year-old girl was sentenced to seven years for her role in a man’s death—this was a US military interpreter who was tragically killed during a carjacking. It’s really alarming, you know?” Schwarb noted, reflecting on the troubling trend of younger individuals being involved in serious crimes.
Schwarb pointed out that his office has seen an increase in juvenile prosecutions, a trend that began before the pandemic. “Our mayor had to issue an executive order to expand juvenile detention capacity so we can properly accommodate the youth we’re prosecuting.”
During a press event, Trump claimed authority under Section 40 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to place the DC Metropolitan Police Department under federal control while deploying the National Guard. This decision was influenced by a rise in violent crime in the city.
Hunt pressed Schwarb about whether he believes juveniles convicted under the current laws should face adult charges in specific circumstances. Schwarb replied, “Yes, under certain situations, youths can be prosecuted as adults. Our current legal framework allows for that. Our team is on it.”
He elaborated, saying, “The District’s U.S. Attorney’s office primarily handles adult cases. Most crimes in the city are committed by adults rather than juveniles, but I hold jurisdiction over juvenile prosecutions.”
In a conversation with Fox’s Sean Hannity, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Janine Pillo described the youth crime situation, indicating that a group of teens aged 14 to 17 are committing offenses, but often evade serious consequences unless the crimes are extreme like murder or armed robbery.
The White House recently released a report stating that juvenile arrests in Washington, D.C. have seen an upward trend since 2020, many linked to violent incidents.
The news about the National Guard’s involvement followed concerns raised by former Government Efficiency Bureau staffer Edward Coristine, who detailed an incident where 10 suspects fled the scene of a crime, with two 15-year-olds later apprehended.
In addition to recent incidents involving Coristine, a GOP intern was fatally shot at the end of June, and two staff members from the Israeli embassy were shot near the Capital Jewish Museum in May.
Despite the alarming situation, some Democrats and media analysts seem to downplay the crime rate by referencing a 35% drop projected for 2024, suggesting that local police data may omit serious offenses like aggravated assault.
