LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) — In an effort to cut juvenile crime, a southwest Louisiana prosecutor said his office will start charging teens who commit violent crimes, like murder or rape, as adults.
District Attorney Don Landry said his office, which covers Acadia, Lafayette and Vermilion parishes, is prepared to move in that direction. He says they must aggressively prosecute juveniles as adults if they choose to commit violence. The Advertiser reports Landry says he made the decision to do so after hearing from victims' families. He also pointed to a rise in violent juvenile crime.