Testimony
Testimony from Olivia Naugle on DC’s UPLIFT Act
Titles one through three of DC's UPLIFT Act would create more justice involvement and incarceration for youth in the city.
Related to: Youth Justice
The Sentencing Project’s Youth Justice Campaign Strategist, Olivia Naugle, submitted testimony before the DC Council’s Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, opposing titles 1–3 of the DC UPLIFT Act.
The Sentencing Project opposes those specific sections of the legislation for three main reasons:
- Diversion is beneficial for most youth and this bill would limit its use.
- For those youth who are part of the system, contacts should be as brief as possible and this bill takes away discretion from the court, creating greater system involvement.
- Youth incarceration harms the well-being of youth and is disproportionately imposed on Black and other youth of color.
Read the full testimony here.
