Youth Crime/Adult Time:
Is Justice Served?

Charts on Transferring Youth to Criminal Court

Minimum Age and Offenses for Which a Juvenile Can Be Transferred to Criminal Court in Every State
(Updated transfer laws through 1999)
State Minimum Transfer Age Any Criminal Offense Certain Felonies Capital Crimes Murder
Certain Offenses
Person Offenses Property Offenses Drug
Offenses		 Weapon Offenses
Alabama 14 14 16 16       16  
Alaska NS NS       NS 16    
Arizona NS   NS   15 15      
Arkansas 14   14 14 14 14     14
California 14 16 16   14 14 14 14  
Colorado 12   12   12 12 14   14
Connecticut 14   14 14 14        
Delaware NS NS/14 15   NS NS 16 16  
Dist. of Columbia NS 16 15   15 15 15   NS
Florida NS NS   NS 14 NS 14   14
Georgia NS 15   NS 13 13 15    
Hawaii NS   14   NS        
Idaho NS 14 NS   NS NS NS NS  
Illinois 13 13 15   13 15   15 15
Indiana NS 14 NS   10 16   16 16
Iowa 14 14 16         16 16
Kansas 10 10 14     14   14 14
Kentucky 14   14 14          
Louisiana 14       14 14 15 15  
Maine NS   NS   NS        
Maryland NS 15   NS 16 16     16
Massachusetts 14   14   14 14     14
Michigan 14 14 14   14 14 14 14  
Minnesota 14   14   16        
Mississippi 13 13 13 13          
Missouri 12   12            
Montana 12       12 12 16 16 16
Nebraska NS 16 NS            
Nevada NS NS 14   NS 14     14
New Hampshire 13   15   13 13   15  
New Jersey 14 14     14 14 14 14 14
New Mexico 15       15        
New York 13       13 14 14    
North Carolina 13   13 13          
North Dakota 14 16 14   14 14   14  
Ohio 14 14 14   14 16 16    
Oklahoma NS   NS   13 15 15 16 15
Oregon NS   15   NS NS 15    
Pennsylvania NS   14   NS 15      
Rhode Island NS   16 NS 17 17      
South Carolina NS 16 14   NS NS   14 14
South Dakota NS   NS            
Tennessee NS 16   NS NS        
Texas 14   14         14  
Utah 14   14   16 16 16   16
Vermont 10 16     10 10 10    
Virginia 14   14   14 14      
Washington NS NS     16 16 16    
West Virginia NS   NS   NS NS NS NS  
Wisconsin NS 15 14   10 NS 14 14  
Wyoming 13 13 14            

Note: Ages in minimum age column may not apply to all offense restrictions but represent the youngest possible age at which a juvenile may be judicially waived to criminal court. *"NS’ indicates "none specified."

Source: Adapted from Griffin,P., Torbet, P., and Szymanski, L. 1998. Trying Juveniles as Adults in Criminal Court: An Analysis of State Transfer Provisions. Washington, DC: US. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

STATE TRANSFER PROVISIONS
(Updated transfer laws through 1999)
State Judicial Waiver:
Judge Decides Whether to Transfer Juvenile to Adult Court		 Statutory Exclusion:
Mandatory Transfer to Adult Court for Certain Offenses		 Direct File:
Prosecutor Decides in which Court the Juvenile will be Tried
Total States: 46 28 15
Alabama  
Alaska  
Arizona
Arkansas  
California    
Colorado  
Connecticut      
Delaware  
Dist. of Columbia  
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii    
Idaho  
Illinois  
Indiana  
Iowa  
Kansas    
Kentucky    
Louisiana
Maine    
Maryland  
Massachusetts  
Michigan  
Minnesota  
Mississippi  
Missouri    
Montana
Nebraska    
Nevada  
New Hampshire    
New Jersey    
New Mexico    
New York    
North Carolina    
North Dakota    
Ohio    
Oklahoma
Oregon  
Pennsylvania  
Rhode Island    
South Carolina  
South Dakota  
Tennessee    
Texas    
Utah  
Vermont
Virginia  
Washington  
West Virginia    
Wisconsin  
Wyoming  

Source: Adapted from Griffin, P., Torbet, P., and Szymanski, L.1998.Trying Juveniles as Adults in Criminal Court: An Analysis of State Transfer Provisions.Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.


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