Juvenile And Adult Courts: A Comparative Analysis
Juvenile and Adult Courts: A Comparative Analysis Paper
Tami Hiltunen
CJS/245
January 26, 2015
LEDETRA JONES
Juvenile and Adult Courts: A Comparative Analysis Paper
The Juvenile Justice System is part of the criminal law system that focuses on those individuals who are between the ages of 9 and 18. This system was set up for those persons who did criminal acts, but who are not yet considered adults. In most states the age for criminal culpability is 18. While the age of being treated as a juvenile in the court system is up to the age of 18, this can depend on the crime. Juveniles can be transferred to the adult court system if the juvenile court waves or relinquishes its jurisdiction. Juvenile law is mainly governed by state laws …show more content…
This process takes place when the offence is defined as a serious violent offense. A violent offence as defined in RCW 9.94A.030 and the juvenile has a criminal history consisting of one or more previous violent crimes, two or more violent crimes or tree or more of any combination of any class A offences. A class A offence consists of a felony, any class B felony, vehicular assault and manslaughter in the second degree. All of these crimes must have been committed after the juveniles thirteenth birthday and each offence has been prosecuted separately, Other crimes that are included in the automatic filing in the adult court system are robbery in the first degree, rape of a child in the first degree or a drive by shooting, burglary in the first degree that has been committed on or after July 1, 1997 and the juvenile has a criminal history consisting of one or more prior felony or misdemeanor offences or any violent offence as defined in RCW 9.9A.030 committed on or after July 1, 1997 and the juvenile is alleged to have used a firearm in the offence (Champion, Merlo, & Benekos, 2013) …show more content…
This hearing can also be called a fact-finding hearing. All parties that pertain to the case will be subpoenaed to testify before the judge. Some witnesses may be excluded from the courtroom until they have finished testifying. If you are the victim, you have the right to be present during the entire court preceding. Since there is no jury trials for juveniles, the judge will then make the decision if the juvenile is innocent or guilty. During the adjudication hearing the prosecution and the defense has the right to make opening statements to the judge. It is then the responsibility of the state to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the juvenile committed the crime. If the judge determines that the juvenile defendant is delinquent, the judge then will set a date for the disposition hearing. In some cases the disposition hearing is held immediately (Clallam County, Washington,
Tami Hiltunen
CJS/245
January 26, 2015
LEDETRA JONES
Juvenile and Adult Courts: A Comparative Analysis Paper
The Juvenile Justice System is part of the criminal law system that focuses on those individuals who are between the ages of 9 and 18. This system was set up for those persons who did criminal acts, but who are not yet considered adults. In most states the age for criminal culpability is 18. While the age of being treated as a juvenile in the court system is up to the age of 18, this can depend on the crime. Juveniles can be transferred to the adult court system if the juvenile court waves or relinquishes its jurisdiction. Juvenile law is mainly governed by state laws …show more content…
This process takes place when the offence is defined as a serious violent offense. A violent offence as defined in RCW 9.94A.030 and the juvenile has a criminal history consisting of one or more previous violent crimes, two or more violent crimes or tree or more of any combination of any class A offences. A class A offence consists of a felony, any class B felony, vehicular assault and manslaughter in the second degree. All of these crimes must have been committed after the juveniles thirteenth birthday and each offence has been prosecuted separately, Other crimes that are included in the automatic filing in the adult court system are robbery in the first degree, rape of a child in the first degree or a drive by shooting, burglary in the first degree that has been committed on or after July 1, 1997 and the juvenile has a criminal history consisting of one or more prior felony or misdemeanor offences or any violent offence as defined in RCW 9.9A.030 committed on or after July 1, 1997 and the juvenile is alleged to have used a firearm in the offence (Champion, Merlo, & Benekos, 2013) …show more content…
This hearing can also be called a fact-finding hearing. All parties that pertain to the case will be subpoenaed to testify before the judge. Some witnesses may be excluded from the courtroom until they have finished testifying. If you are the victim, you have the right to be present during the entire court preceding. Since there is no jury trials for juveniles, the judge will then make the decision if the juvenile is innocent or guilty. During the adjudication hearing the prosecution and the defense has the right to make opening statements to the judge. It is then the responsibility of the state to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the juvenile committed the crime. If the judge determines that the juvenile defendant is delinquent, the judge then will set a date for the disposition hearing. In some cases the disposition hearing is held immediately (Clallam County, Washington,