What is statutory exclusion in juvenile justice?

In the context of juvenile justice, statutory exclusion refers to a legal mechanism where state laws mandate that a juvenile be processed in criminal court rather than in juvenile court. This transfer is based on specific criteria, typically involving the nature of the offense committed and the age of the youth.1

Statutory exclusion is one of three primary methods by which a juvenile may be tried as an adult in the United States, the others being prosecutorial discretion and judicial waiver. While these transfer mechanisms were designed to address serious criminal behavior, research has indicated that they do not necessarily reduce recidivism, and some studies suggest that juveniles processed in the adult system may face different outcomes compared to those handled within the juvenile justice system.1