Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that allows juveniles that commit violent crimes or specific drug offenses to be tried as adults more easily.

Highlights:

• Allows the Attorney General to determine if a 13 year old, who has allegedly committed a federal offense, should be tried as an adult.

• Allows juveniles 14 or older to be tried as adults for federal violent crimes and for federal drug crimes.

• Calls for juvenile records to be kept and available to the public in the same manner as adult offenders' records.

• Indicates that juveniles cannot be held in jails with adult offenders before or after trial.

• Calls on the Attorney General to establish an armed violent youth apprehension program to run for 5 years.

• Appropriates $1.5 billion for the fiscal years 1998 through 2000 to carry out the provisions within the bill.

• Calls for incentive grants for states to implement various programs, including: building correction or detention facilities, hiring additional juvenile judges, probation officers, court-appointed defenders and prosecutors, and establishing interagency information sharing programs to include juvenile and criminal justice system, schools and social services agencies.

• Stipulates that special priority be given to funding for law enforcement initiatives related to gangs.

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text