The Federation of Law Colleges, Bars and Associations of Baja California (FEDABOBC) has formally asked state and federal legislators to consider allowing courts to sentence juveniles over 16 as adults when they commit serious crimes. FEDABOBC president David Jesús Rincón Rey announced the proposal on Tuesday.
The initiative targets adolescents aged 16 and older who are charged with homicide, kidnapping, and other grave offenses. Under current Mexican law, juvenile offenders are processed through a separate justice system with significantly lighter penalties than those faced by adults.
What the Proposal Would Change
If adopted, the reform would let judges impose adult-level sentences on qualifying teenage offenders in Baja California. The proposal has been sent to both state legislators in Mexicali and federal lawmakers in Mexico City. Rincón Rey framed it as a response to rising youth involvement in violent crime across the state.
Baja California has long struggled with cartel organizations recruiting minors to carry out killings, kidnappings, and drug trafficking. Criminal groups exploit the lighter sentences minors face under Mexico’s juvenile justice framework. Teenagers convicted of even the most violent crimes currently serve far shorter terms than adults convicted of the same offenses.
A Growing Debate in Baja California
The state recorded more than 1,900 homicides in 2024, according to federal security data, and Tijuana consistently ranks among the most violent cities in Mexico. Law enforcement officials have repeatedly pointed to the use of minors as hitmen and lookouts by cartels operating in the Tijuana, Mexicali, and Ensenada corridors.
FEDABOBC represents attorneys, bar associations, and law schools across Baja California. The organization’s backing gives the proposal institutional weight, though any change would require approval from state or federal legislatures. Mexico’s constitution currently sets specific protections for juvenile offenders, meaning a federal constitutional amendment could be necessary for the most sweeping changes.
The proposal does not seek to eliminate the juvenile justice system entirely. Instead, it would create exceptions for the most serious crimes committed by older adolescents. Rincón Rey argued that the current system fails to hold teenage offenders accountable for acts of extreme violence.
The story was first reported by Zeta Tijuana.