Hearings were closed to the public so the youth's identity would remain private. This has played a major role in determining the system's practices. In most states, young people are considered juveniles until age 18. However, some states set the limit at 16 or 17. In most states, a juvenile charged with a serious felony such as robbery, assault, rape, or murder can be tried as an adult.
Some states have laws automatically transferring a youth to adult court under certain conditions.
In other states, judges have the authority to waive certain cases to adult criminal court. Several states allow the prosecutor to make the decision, while some states require a hearing before a youth may be transferred to adult court. These revisions include lowering the eligible age and requiring the transfer of juveniles to adult court when they are charged with certain crimes. Between 1985 and 1995, the number of juvenile cases waived to adult criminal court increased 71 percent. Some who favor harsher punishment even question whether there should be a separate juvenile court.