The majority of states have passed bills to expand the categories of violators and felonies suitable for transfer from juvenile to adult court of law for further trials and prospective prison sentences.
This is done in an attempt to enhance the punitive measures for severe juvenile offenses. These regulations reduced the minimum transfer age, expanded the variety of felonies able to qualify for transfer, and restricted judicial flexibility while broadening discretionary powers for transfers.
It is evident that the top objectives of the given transfer regulations are the deterrent effect of youth crime and the decrease of recidivism rates. Nevertheless, it is a questionable approach to the elimination of violence among the youth.
In this respect, the Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act, also known as Raise the Age, can be more beneficial and yield better results. In comparison to earlier regulations, the given 2019 legislation raises the age for juvenile offenders from 16 to 18.
In this situation, those felons who are under the age of 18 are eligible to be prosecuted at the juvenile court, with the exception being Chapter 20 offenses and offenders with a history of prior convictions.
Consequently, it might be believed that the given legislation will be able to reduce recidivism and remove the stigma associated with criminal convictions for several reasons. When trialed at the adult court, most juveniles are at risk of receiving more severe sentences and being placed in adult correctional facilities.
Consequently, juveniles who are placed in adult facilities and exposed to such conditions are more likely to experience abuse, which later makes them more prone to violence, posing a risk to society.