NCJ Number
210266
Journal
Journal of Crime & Justice Volume: 28 Issue: 1 Dated: 2005 Pages: 59-77
Date Published
2005
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This study examined adult felony recidivism for 475 pairs of Florida juveniles matched on 7 factors, with 1 juvenile in each pair having been transferred to adult court and the other juvenile retained in the juvenile justice system.
Abstract
The data were from six judicial circuits in Florida. Automated data from the State's Client Information System were used to identify transfer cases in each circuit. Profiles of the transfer cases were matched with similar cases that were retained in the juvenile system in the same circuit. The juveniles were matched on the primary offense at intake, the number of courts or referral charges made on the date of the primary offenses, the number of prior dates on which referral charges were entered in the automated State data, the most serious prior referral offense, age, gender, and race. Recidivism was measured as an indication of either a felony rearrest or an admission to Department of Corrections community-based or institutional supervision for an offense committed after turning 18. The study found that juveniles who had been transferred to adult court for processing were more likely to reoffend and were more likely to commit a violent offense after they turned 18 years old. This held true even after controlling for additional case details. These findings suggest that transferring juveniles to criminal court may have a criminogenic effect rather than the intended deterrent effect. 3 tables, 14 notes, and 27 references