A new law will raise the minimum age at which minors can be detained and limit detention in certain situations where the minor is not charged with a violent crime, making it clear the state is prioritizing rehabilitation and addressing the root causes of delinquent behavior. First, it raises the age at which a minor may be detained from 10 years old to 12 years old in 2026 and then to 13 years old – in some situations – in 2027. Under the law, arrest will be used only as a last resort and under strict conditions, and minors will be detained only if there is probable cause to believe they are delinquent and that immediate and urgent detention is necessary, or if they have repeatedly failed to appear at scheduled hearings. The new law will also create the youth nonviolent crime resource program, facilitated by the Department of Juvenile Justice, to provide resources to minors declared delinquent for nonviolent crimes. Resources would include mentoring, educational resources, employment training opportunities, behavioral health services and more. House Bill 3492 was signed into law Friday. It goes into effect June 1, 2026 – with provisions on the youth nonviolent crime resource program taking effect Jan. 1, 2028.