SB324 Summary

• Raises the minimum age for transfer from juvenile court to circuit court from 16 years old to 14 years old for specified serious offenses including capital offenses, Class A felonies, and felonies involving weapons or death.

• Allows circuit court judges to grant youthful offender status to children transferred to circuit court, despite the transfer to adult court.

• Permits children 14 years or older transferred to circuit court to be detained in secure custody and allows detention in adult jails or lockups, but prohibits confinement with adult inmates except for up to 6 hours during case processing.

• Repeals the automatic adult prosecution provision for 16-year-olds and establishes that cases transferred under the new law apply retroactively to offenses occurring after April 14, 1994.

• Prohibits use of solitary confinement or extended isolation in Department of Corrections facilities for persons under 18 years old, contingent on legislative appropriation.