The Juvenile Process Today

The majority of sates define a child as a person who has no yet turned 18.  Few                        states set the age at 16 and several at 17.

Jurisdiction of the juvenile court may be exclusive depending on the law and                              behavior involved. (Exclusive = includes status offenses such as truancy.)

All of the states allow juveniles who commit serious crimes to be transferred to the criminal courts.  Some states have no minimum age to be transferred, other states range from 10 to 16.

Where juvenile courts authority is not exclusive the jurisdiction may be original or concurrent.

                         1. Original = the offense originated or began with the juvenile court authorities.

                         2. Concurrent = when other courts have equal statutory authority.

If a juvenile has committed homicide, rape, or other serious crime, the adult court may issue an arrest warrant.

Adult and Juvenile Justice Compared

How the System Works

Juvenile Institutions

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