Commentary: Young offenders don't belong in adult prisons. California has a chance to end the practice
Adulthood doesn't magically happen on the day someone turns 18. Any parent knows this, and numerous laws and social practices also recognize the fact.
The recently enacted federal budget, for example, bars youth under 21 from purchasing tobacco, something prohibited in California since 2016. California's abused and neglected youth receive government help until age 21, and Californians under 21 are not allowed to consume alcohol or marijuana or purchase handguns in the state. Nationally, youth can stay on their parents' health insurance until age 26 under the Affordable Care Act.
