A historic shift is taking place in the legal world. For the first time in many years, fewer teen offenders are having to face charges adult courts. This is a shift that is resulting in many positive effects. A great savings of energy, time, and money is taking place in Florida as well as the rest of the nation.
Juvenile offenders are catching a serious break
It should be noted that the Florida justice system is taking the lead in a national trend. The average criminal defense for a juvenile offender is no longer having to take place in an adult court. This is crucial since it removes juveniles from the possibility of interacting with adult criminals and becoming even further corrupted.
Many justice system experts believe that early intervention and diversion has a positive effect. It seems that the proof is finally being revealed. The number of juveniles having to go to adult court has dropped from a national high of 8% to a total of only 2%.
Second chances for juveniles can pay dividends
The reduction in the number of young offenders who have to face adult courts is a major victory for juvenile law in Florida. Courts are no longer having to spend vast amounts of energy and money on cases that can be resolved through other means. This is a major breakthrough for the system.
As things now stand, only the most violent juvenile offenders now have to face being charged as an adult. The move has been echoed by other states in the U.S. until, as of 2022, only three of them still regularly prosecute 17-year-old juveniles as adults. This is a trend that continues to grow.
