Discretionary Waiver: Minimum Age and Offense Criteria, 1997
State

Lower Age*

Any Criminal Offense

Certain Felonies

Capitol Crimes

Murder

Certain Offenses

Person Offenses

Property Offenses

Drug Offenses

Weapon Offenses

Alabama  

14

             
Alaska  

NS

             
Arizona

8

 

NS

           
Arkansas

10

 

14/16**

14

14

14

   

14

California  

16

   

14

14

14

14

 
Colorado

10

 

12/14**

 

12

12

     
Delaware  

NS/14**

             
District of Columbia  

16/18**

15

         

NS

Florida  

14

             
Georgia  

15

 

13

         
Hawaii    

14/16**

 

NS

       
Idaho  

14

NS

 

NS

NS

NS

NS

 
Illinois  

13

             
Indiana  

14

16

 

10/16**

   

16

 
Iowa  

14/15**

             
Kansas

10

10

             
Kentucky    

14/16**

14

         
Louisiana

10

     

14

14

     
Maine    

NS

 

NS

       
Maryland

7

15

 

NS

         
Michigan  

14

             
Minnesota

10

 

14

           
Mississippi

10

13

             
Missouri    

12

           
Montana**                  
Nevada    

14

           
New Hampshire    

15

 

13

13

     
New Jersey  

14

   

14

14

14

 

14

North Carolina

6

 

13

           
North Dakota  

16

     

14

     
Ohio    

14

           
Oklahoma    

NS

           
Oregon    

15

 

NS

NS/15**

15

   
Pennsylvania

10

 

14

           
Rhode Island    

16

NS

         
South Carolina  

16

14

 

NS

NS/14**

 

14

14

South Dakota

10

 

NS

           
Tennessee  

16

   

NS

NS

     
Texas

10

 

14/15**

14

     

14

 
Utah    

14

           
Vermont

10

     

10

10

10

   
Virginia    

14

           
Washington  

NS

             
West Virginia    

NS/14**

 

NS

NS

NS

NS

 
Wisconsin

10

15

14

 

14

14

14

14

 
Wyoming  

13

             

Note: "NS" indicates "none specified."
*"Lower age" refers to the minimum age below which the juvenile court has no jurisdiction for delinquency matters.
**See appendix for more detail on State provisions.

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Trying Juveniles as Adults in Criminal Court: An Analysis of State Transfer Provisions December 1998