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Raise the Age

Research shows that brain development continues into a person’s mid-20s, affecting judgment, impulse control, and decision-making. In response, the Evans Policy Innovation Collaborative (EPIC) is partnering with the Raise the Age Workgroup, co-led by the Washington State Department of Children Youth & Families Office of Juvenile Justice and the Washington State Partnership Council on Juvenile Justice to support recommendations regarding the implementation of juvenile court jurisdiction expansion to encompass 18, 19, and 20-year-olds. EPIC is specifically supporting two analyses, one on the impact of expanding juvenile court jurisdiction on service provision for juveniles and emerging adults, and one on a benefits-cost analysis of the expansion. 


Review Preliminary Findings


Learn about Raise the Age Benefit-Cost Analysis

Project Overview

From July 2024 to June 2025, EPIC is: 

  • Mapping services and supports available to at-risk and justice-involved youth across Washington State. 
  • Assessing the specific needs of Emerging Adults (ages 18–21) compared to younger youth (ages 12–17) and evaluate whether current services can meet those needs. 
  • Analyzing the impact of expanding juvenile court jurisdiction—including service capacity, infrastructure, and provider readiness. 
  • Gathering input from stakeholders and conduct cost-benefit analyses to estimate investment needs and potential savings. 
  • Publishing two reports with analyses, findings, recommendations for the workgroup 

Project Team

Contact

General inquiries about the project may be addressed to: evansepic@uw.edu.