NYC juvenile crime surge tied to 'Raise the Age' law

Fox News reports that New York City has seen a sharp rise in juvenile violent crime and juvenile firearm arrests since the state's 2018 'Raise the Age' law, with experts and NYPD data saying gangs increasingly use minors to carry out serious offenses. The article cites Mayor Eric Adams' 2025 annual report showing 5,623 juveniles arrested for major felonies in 2025 (a 9% year‑over‑year increase), historic juvenile gun‑arrest totals in 2024, and a Sept. 15, 2025 Harlem shootout in which three teens were arrested and two 15‑year‑olds were wounded; the trend is surfacing as the city's mayoral race heats up.