Trying Juveniles As Adults in Criminal Courts: An Analysis of State Transfer Provisions

by Patrick Griffin, Patricia Torbet, Linda Szymanski

In recent years the number of juvenile offenders transferred into the adult criminal justice system has increased. This report addresses the need to take into account the nature of the offenses triggering such transfers & the various mechanisms used to effect them. It delineates the distinctions among discretionary, mandatory, & presumptive waivers. Direct file provisions, which typically authorize the prosecutor to determine the jurisdiction based on age/offense categories, are described, as are statutory exclusions, which remove certain offenses or age/offense categories from the jurisdiction of the juvenile court.

100 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1998