Currently, if a person commits a crime in Illinois and is 17 years of age, he will face charges in adult court. Starting next year, due to Public Act 95-1031, a 17-year-old offender who commits a misdemeanor will be prosecuted in juvenile court. But, if the 17-year-old commits a felony, the State will still treat him as an adult. This difference between misdemeanors and felonies may not last forever. The new law also creates a task force that will “submit a report by January 1, 2010 to the General Assembly with recommendations on extending juvenile court jurisdiction to youth age 17 charged with felony offenses.”
1 Response to “Extending Juvenile Court Jurisdiction”
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Nice summary of this important story. Keep up the good work!