Teenagers who commit certain gun crimes in Mississippi will automatically be tried as adults beginning July 1 under a new law.
State lawmakers passed a bill during this year’s session that will result in people under 18 bypassing youth court and going straight to circuit court if charged with certain violent felony offenses involving a firearm, including homicide, aggravated assault, and armed robbery. The bill was authored by Sen. Joey Fillingane, R-Sumrall, and passed mostly with GOP support.
Republican Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, who pushed for the legislation, predicts it will not only be a solution to rising youth gun crimes but also reduce the number of “catch-and-release” incidents among youth. Generally, youth court prioritizes rehabilitation over incarceration unless it is a serious violent crime or when a youth is a chronic offender.
“If you’re younger than 18 and you commit a crime with gun, you’re tried as an adult,” Hosemann explained. “That’s something that I’ve been after for a long time. People in this state are tired of finding people who are 15 or 16 years old shoot somebody or rob somebody or whatever it is. Then, they’re not tried as an adult and basically skip free.”
While statewide statistics tracking overall youth crime are limited, public health data shows an increase in firearm-related deaths among children in recent years. According to the Mississippi State Department of Health, child firearm-related deaths increased by more than 70% between 2019 and 2022.
Nationally, data from the Kaiser Family Foundation shows a 50% surge in child firearm-related deaths since 2019. The U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention adds that for every youth firearm death, at least two others survive firearm injuries.
Across the U.S., similar laws have been enacted in states like Indiana, Oregon, Kentucky, and Illinois, among others, for more adult court exposure for youth committing certain gun crimes.
Mississippi’s new law also addresses adults who supply firearms to youth. Adults convicted of supplying a firearm can face up to 20 years in prison, with penalties rising to up to 30 years if the weapon is used in a crime and up to 40 years if it results in death.
