Transfer Juveniles to Adult Court, Essay Example

Juveniles can be transferred to adult courts for several reasons. The process of transferring a juvenile to adult court is known as “waiver” process, in which the individual will be tried as an adult, thereby waiving the rights they commonly have as a juvenile. A juvenile can be transferred directly to adult court as a consequence of concurrent jurisdiction. Statutory exclusion policies can also contribute to a juvenile’s eligibility for exemption from juvenile court, although these requirements depend upon the individual’s state. The most common reason for doing so is when the offense is very serious and there is a degree of understanding that the juvenile committed the crime knowing that the offense was not legal. A key example of this would be murder. In such situations, the court acts to remove a dangerous criminal from society, which is a need independent of age. Other situations that could cause a juvenile to be transferred to adult court is if they have an extensive juvenile record, demonstrating that their behavior is not improving, if they believe that juvenile services would not be an effective means of rehabilitation, if past rehabilitation efforts have not been successful, and if the minor is older. To make these decisions according to the needs of the individual and the court, the judge will consider the juvenile’s background, his or her court record, and the ability of juvenile rehabilitation professionals to provide the individual with appropriate treatment.