05/01/2026
A 20-year-old, two 18-year-olds, and two 17-year-olds are facing homicide charges. In California, their ages do not just describe who they are; they largely determine what consequences they will face.
Proposition 57, and legislation that followed it, fundamentally changed how this state handles violent offenders who are young. It removed prosecutors from the decision to try juveniles as adults and shifted that authority to the courts. The practical effect has been that the juvenile system has built-in limits, and in most cases, those offenders cannot be held beyond the age of 25. That is not an unintended gap in the law; it was intentional.
But the policy does not stop when someone turns 18. California created the youth offender parole program, which allows individuals who committed crimes at a “young” age (meaning anyone between 18 and 25), including those who committed serious and violent crimes, to be considered for early release after serving only a portion of their sentence. That means the 18- and 20-year-olds in a case like this are not necessarily facing sentences that fit their crimes. They are entering a system designed to move them toward earlier release.
At the other end of the spectrum, the elderly parole program applies the same principle. Different category, same outcome. Whether based on a young age at the time of the crime or age later in life, the policy direction is consistent: shorten sentences for serious and violent offenders.
These laws were created, passed, and expanded with full understanding of how they function together. The result is a system that reduces accountability at multiple stages, from juvenile jurisdiction to adult parole eligibility.
The result is an 18-year-old Sacramento State student shot to death while sitting in the back of an Uber. Her friend survived and will live with the consequences of that night for the rest of his life. They were not involved in any dispute and did not know the people involved. They were simply there.
The law places limits on how long offenders can be held but takes zero ownership of the damage done to victims and their families. This is not a system failing. It is a system operating exactly as designed. If that outcome is unacceptable, then join me and help change the law.