Sometimes, this is a mandatory waiver, where the law requires the young offender to be tried as an adult. Many states have passed laws allowing prosecutors to file adult charges against juveniles for certain serious offenses, without having to apply for a waiver. A juvenile tried in adult court receives all of the rights granted to an adult defendant, including the right to a jury. The answer to this question varies from state to state, and sometimes from charge to charge. Some states grant a judge the discretion to sentence a juvenile offender as a juvenile, even though he was tried as an adult.
Some states mix the sentence, imposing both a juvenile and an adult sentence.
In such states, the adult sentence is only imposed if the juvenile violates the terms of his juvenile sentence. This depends upon state law, and can vary significantly depending upon such factors as subsequent criminal activity or the type of crime committed. If a juvenile is convicted of certain sex offenses, he may be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, regardless of his age at the time of conviction. In some states which automatically seal a juvenile's record once he passes a certain age, that record may remain unsealed if the defendant is convicted of an adult offense before he reaches that age. All rights reserved.