NCJ Number
218105
Journal
Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice Volume: 5 Issue: 2 Dated: April 2007 Pages: 188-206
Date Published
April 2007
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This study examined the under-researched area of decertification of transferred youth to adult court (i.e. reverse waived to juvenile court), and focused specifically on the factors that predict decertification.
Abstract
The leading determinants or factors in decertification are the legal variables. There were several legal variables found to have a significant effect on the decision to send an initially waived case back to juvenile court (i.e. decertification). First, the more prior referrals a youth possessed, the lower was the likelihood of decertification. In addition, offense seriousness seemed important, as youth who played a non-primary role and those who did not use a firearm were more likely to be decertified than offenders who played a primary role or used a firearm. In summary, the legal variables: offense seriousness and prior record were the strongest predictors of decertification. Much of the research on juvenile transfer to adult court examines the predictors of the waiver decision. Limited studies exist on the determinants of decertification, a process whereby certain initially transferred youth are reverse waived to juvenile court. This study sought to identify the statistical predictors of decertification to juvenile court by using data pertaining to 345 youth initially transferred to adult court in 1996 under Pennsylvania’s law. Pennsylvania’s law excludes certain youth from juvenile court jurisdiction. Tables, notes, and references