Policies Facilitating the Transfer of Juveniles to Adult Justice Systems

Task Force Finding*

The Task Force evaluated the evidence on effectiveness of policies facilitating the transfer of juveniles from juvenile to adult justice systems to reduce violence. The Task Force found evidence of harm associated with strengthened juvenile transfer policies. Available evidence indicates that juveniles who experience the adult justice system, on average, commit more subsequent violent crime following release than juveniles retained in the juvenile justice system. Further, evidence that juveniles in the general population are deterred from violent crime by strengthened juvenile transfer policies is insufficient. As a means of reducing juvenile violence, strengthened juvenile transfer policies are counterproductive.

The Task Force, therefore, recommends against policies facilitating the transfer of juveniles from juvenile to adult criminal justice systems for the purpose of reducing violence.

*From the following publication:

Task Force on Community Preventive Services. Recommendation against policies facilitating the transfer of juveniles from juvenile to adult justice systems for the purpose of reducing violence. [PDF - 39KB] Am J Prev Med 2007;32 (4S):S5-6.

Review completed: April 2003