How a juvenile is adjudicated in a federal court can be different from that of a state court. For a juvenile to be adjudicated by a federal court, it must be an act of a violent felony, drug trafficking, importation offense, or a firearms offense (18 U.S.C. § 5032). The act must be a federal criminal violation committed before the age of 18 (18 U.S.C.A. §§ 5031-42). A United States Attorney must prove jurisdiction by certifying that the juvenile case can be heard in a federal court or refer to a state court (28 C.F.R. 0.57). A juvenile must be tried in a federal court within 30 days (18 U.S.C. § 5036). There is not a separate court like there is in a state court. The case is heard in a closed hearing by a U.S. district court judge or magistrate. Depending on how severe the act is, the juvenile can face up to three years of probation, or up to five years of confinement in a correctional facility (18 U.S.C. § 5037). The Federal Bureau of Prisons does not have its own facilities to house juvenile delinquents and must house juveniles in a state court. If a juvenile is arrested, they must be brought in front of a magistrate immediately or within a …show more content…
Instead of changing the venue if they committed an act with extreme violence, weapons, drugs, or other serious offenses, we should allow the judge the option to have the punishment fit the crime. This may require a change in the structure of the punishment. Juveniles are handled differently from how they are arrested, detained, questioned and adjudicated. Having just one system in place would allow specialization to ensure the correct procedures are followed. This would allow for a smoother, faster, more efficient process. It would also allow the funds from the federal juvenile program to be placed into the state juvenile program allowing the state to have additional rehabilitation