Measure would reduce number of children tried as adults

Sen. Bobby Powell

State attorneys would be more restricted in trying juveniles charged with serious crimes in adult court under a bill that passed the Senate Criminal Justice Committee on March 16.

SB 640, sponsored by Sen. Bobby Powell, D-West Palm Beach, would prevent state attorneys from directly charging children who are 14 or 15 as adults and would only allow charging those 16 and 17 when the offense was a forcible felony.