New National Report Reveals Uneven Protections for Children as Years of Advocacy Deliver Legislative Victories

Human Rights for Kids’ 2026 State Ratings Report highlights progress in Maryland, Virginia, and Hawaii and offers a roadmap for reforms nationwide

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, November 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Sixteen states remain in the lowest tier for protecting children’s human rights in the justice system, according to the 2026 State Ratings Report released today by Human Rights for Kids. Yet the findings also demonstrate that years of persistent advocacy, legislative collaboration, and sustained investment are producing meaningful reforms.

Title Progress Through Persistence, the annual report evaluates all 50 states and Washington, D.C., across 12 categories of legal protections, including adult prosecution, extreme sentencing, solitary confinement, and opportunities for release.

Hawaii earned the highest score (10.5), followed by California (9.5). Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Wyoming received the lowest scores, each earning just two points.

Despite these disparities, 2026 marked another year of progress, with four new laws enacted across Maryland, Virginia, and Hawaii, building on eight laws enacted in 2025.

“Progress doesn’t happen overnight, and it rarely happens without setbacks,” said James Dold, Founder and CEO of Human Rights for Kids. “These ratings expose where children remain vulnerable, but they also demonstrate that change is possible. The victories we’re seeing today are the result of years of persistence, and they offer a roadmap for states ready to do better.”

In Maryland, legislation years in the making reforms automatic charging and requires the removal of children from adult correctional facilities by 2029.

“Maryland’s progress demonstrates what sustained commitment can accomplish,” said Sen. Will Smith. “We’ve taken important steps toward ensuring children are treated as children, with greater opportunities for rehabilitation.”

Del. Sandy Bartlett added, “After 14 years of advocacy, this victory reminds us that when there is a persistence for justice, adversity will not be permanent. Our work continues until every child receives the protections they deserve.”

Virginia established a minimum age of prosecution, directing its youngest children away from the criminal justice system.

“Children need responses that recognize their age, development, and potential,” said Sen. Mamie Locke. "Our experience shows that persistence can turn that principle into meaningful law.”

Hawaii also strengthened trauma-informed protections and removed provisions exposing children to adult prosecution based on prior cases.

These reforms reflect years of collaboration among advocates, policymakers, and philanthropic partners. Human Rights for Kids recognizes The Just Trust, Annie E. Case Foundation, TOW Foundation, Focus for Health Foundation, Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, Stoneleigh Foundation, and Abell Foundation, whose support helped make this research and continued advocacy possible.

The report provides lawmakers with a measurable framework for identifying gaps and building on successful reforms in 2027.

Read the full report

About Human Rights for Kids
Human Rights for Kids (HRFK) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion and protection of the human rights of children. We use an integrated, multi-faceted approach which consists of research & public education, coalition building & grassroots mobilization, and policy advocacy & strategic litigation to advance critical human rights on behalf of children in the United States and around the world.

Johanna Olivas
Human Rights for Kids
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