NCJ Number
164081
Journal
Crime and Delinquency Volume: 42 Issue: 4 Dated: (October 1996) Pages: 593- 609
Date Published
1996
Length
17 pages
Annotation
Data from all juveniles waived to adult court in Texas between 1981 and 1993 and sentenced to prison were analyzed to determine whether juveniles waived to adult court receive more severe sanctions than are available in juvenile court.
Abstract
The offenses were categorized using the FBI's index offenses in most cases. Results revealed that the most common offense was homicide, accounting for 34.1 percent of the waived youths. The average sentence length for the youths was 21.9 years. The juveniles consistently received longer sentences than are available in juvenile court. However, when actual time served was taken into consideration, these youths rarely served lengthier sentences than are available in juvenile court. The juveniles served an average of only 27 percent of their original sentences. Findings suggested that reducing the age at which juveniles can be waived to adult court or adding offenses to those eligible will not make judicial waiver effective until the issue of discretionary parole release is addressed. Tables, notes, and 48 references (Author abstract modified)