Youthful Offenders

Youthful offenders are individuals under the age of 18 who are accused of crimes and processed through the juvenile court system and related facilities. In cases where young defendants are involved in serious crimes like murder, armed robbery, or rape, some courts may choose to try them as adults, especially if they are repeat offenders deemed unlikely to benefit from rehabilitation. However, youthful offenders generally have certain advantages: they are typically housed in juvenile facilities rather than adult prisons, they are more likely to receive probation, and their maximum prison sentence usually cannot extend beyond their 25th birthday or another specified limitation. Additionally, youthful offenders are not eligible for the death penalty.