Being Tried as an Adult: Juveniles Charged with Serious Offenses Along with Other Circumstances and Laws Involved in Moving a Juvenile to Adult Court

Abstract

This essay explores the special circumstances and laws involved in moving a juvenile to adult court. Topics that will be discussed include who is considered a juvenile, why the juvenile system was created, how the system has changed with the times, and which laws are involved in moving a juvenile to adult court. A specific case where an individual was transferred from the juvenile justice system to the adult system will be examined. The debate over juveniles in the criminal justice system has been a contested topic, particularly since the “War on Drugs” era. Since the beginning of the separation of juveniles from adult court, different laws and circumstances have been created to help determine which juveniles should be moved to adult court for their crimes.