What age range identifies juveniles that can be tried as adults for serious crimes in Georgia?

In Georgia, juveniles who are between the ages of 13 and 16 can be tried as adults for serious crimes, such as felonies. This legal framework is part of the state's approach to handling more severe criminal behavior among younger individuals. The rationale behind this provision is that, at these ages, individuals are deemed to have the capacity to understand the consequences of their actions, and the nature of the crime may warrant a harsher response from the judicial system.

This statute allows the court to assess the severity of the offense and the young person's prior record before deciding whether to transfer the case to adult court. Generally, children younger than 13 are not prosecuted in adult court, which is designed to focus on rehabilitation rather than punitive measures for very young offenders. Meanwhile, the age range above 16 does not apply to automatic adult prosecution since individuals 17 years and older are typically treated as adults in the legal system for any criminal charges. Thus, the age range of 13-16 is critical for understanding when juveniles may face adult charges for serious offenses in Georgia.