Minimum
Age and Offense for Which a Juvenile Can Be
Transferred to Criminal Court in Every State,
1997
States
Minimum
Transfer Age
Any
Criminal Offense
Certain
Felonies
Capital
Crimes
Certain
Offenses
Murder
Person
Offenses
Property
Offenses
Drug
Offenses
Weapon
Offenses
Alabama
14
14
16
16
16
Alaska
NS
NS
NS
16
Arizona
NS
NS
15
15
Arkansas
14
14
14
14
14
14
California
14
16
16
14
14
14
14
Colorado
12
12
12
12
14
14
Connecticut
14
14
14
14
Delaware
NS
NS/14
15
NS
NS
16
16
District
of Columbia
NS
16
15
15
15
15
NS
Florida
NS
NS
NS
14
NS
14
14
Georgia
NS
15
NS
13
13
15
Hawaii
NS
14
NS
Idaho
NS
14
NS
NS
NS
NS
NS
Illinois
13
13
15
13
15
15
15
Indiana
NS
14
NS
10
16
16
16
Iowa
14
14
16
16
16
Kansas
10
10
14
14
14
14
Kentucky
14
14
14
Louisiana
14
14
14
15
15
Maine
NS
NS
NS
Maryland
NS
15
NS
16
16
16
Massachusetts
14
14
14
14
14
Michigan
14
14
14
14
14
14
14
Minnesota
14
14
16
Mississippi
13
13
13
13
Missouri
12
12
Montana
12
12
12
16
16
16
Nebraska
NS
16
NS
Nevada
NS
NS
14
NS
14
14
New
Hampshire
13
15
13
13
15
New
Jersey
14
14
14
14
14
14
14
New
Mexico
15
15
New
York
13
13
14
14
North
Carolina
13
13
13
North
Dakota
14
16
14
14
14
14
Ohio
14
14
14
14
16
16
Oklahoma
NS
NS
13
15
15
16
15
Oregon
NS
15
NS
NS
15
Pennsylvania
NS
14
NS
15
Rhode
Island
NS
16
NS
17
17
South
Carolina
NS
16
14
NS
NS
14
14
South
Dakota
NS
NS
Tennessee
NS
16
NS
NS
Texas
14
14
14
Utah
14
14
16
16
16
16
Vermont
10
16
10
10
10
Virginia
14
14
14
14
Washington
NS
NS
16
16
16
West
Virginia
NS
NS
NS
NS
NS
NS
Wisconsin
NS
15
14
10
NS
14
14
Wyoming
13
13
14
Notes:
"NS" indicates "none specified."
States with direct file only provision:
Nebraska.
States with legislative waiver only:
New Mexico and New York.
States with judicial waiver only:
California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky,
Maine, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North
Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Rhode Island, Tennessee,
Texas, and West Virginia.
States with both direct file and legislative
waiver: Massachusetts.
States with judicial waiver and direct
file: Arkansas, Colorado, District of Columbia, Michigan,
Virginia, and Wyoming.
States with judicial waiver and legislative
waiver: Alabama, Alaska, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada,
Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota,
Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin.
States with all three mechanisms:
Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Montana, Oklahoma,
and Vermont.
