Changes In Juvenile Waiver And Transfer Provisions: Projecting The Impact In Florida

In 1994, Florida made three changes to its law that expanded its ability to transfer or waive juvenile offenders into adult court. This study demonstrates what would have happened to a random sample of 1993 cases had the new provisions been in effect. Florida\u27s new provisions may double the number of cases coming to adult court and will have an impact on both the juvenile and adult systems. Both a new mandatory direct file provision and a new presumptive judicial waiver provision are likely to have greater impact than is a change that expands discretionary direct filing to fourteen- and fifteen-year-old offenders. Both the mandatory and presumptive provisions are triggered by prior record information rather than current offense factors. The implications of the changes for juvenile justice philosophy and juvenile court are discussed. © 1996 Wiley. All rights reserved