ATLANTA – State Representative Mary Margaret Oliver (D-Decatur) recently filed House Bill 53, legislation that would allow minors under the age of 18 to be tried in the juvenile court, rather than being tried as adults.
“There are only six states that allow minors to be treated as adults for the criminal prosecution of all crimes,” said Rep. Oliver. “HB 53 is intended to bring Georgia into the mainstream so that 17-year-old minors will no longer be prosecuted as adults, but will be adjudicated in the juvenile court. Expanded juvenile court jurisdiction to include 17-years-old children is a needed reform.”
If passed, HB 53 would adjust the juvenile court’s jurisdiction to include children under the age of 18. This jurisdiction includes the investigation and examination of delinquent acts committed by minors. Under current law, only children under the age of 17 are included in the jurisdiction of the juvenile court.
For more information on HB 53, please click here.
Representative Mary Margaret Oliver represents the citizens of District 82, which includes portions of DeKalb County. She was elected into the House of Representatives in 2002, and she currently serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Human Resources and the Governmental Affairs, Judiciary, Juvenile Justice, and Science & Technology committees.
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