This bill amends current New Jersey law to expand the list of offenses for which a juvenile may be waived to adult criminal court, specifically including theft or unlawful taking of a motor vehicle. It stipulates that juveniles aged 15 years or older who have previously been adjudicated delinquent for these offenses are now eligible for waiver to adult court. Additionally, the bill establishes that the use of a juvenile in the theft of a motor vehicle is a strict liability crime, meaning that individuals aged 18 and older who employ a juvenile for this crime can be prosecuted without the need to prove intent or knowledge regarding the juvenile's age.

The bill modifies existing legal language by removing the requirement that the adult must "knowingly" use a juvenile for theft, replacing it with a strict liability standard. This change means that an adult can be held criminally responsible for employing a juvenile in the theft of a vehicle regardless of any mistaken belief about the juvenile's age. The strict liability offense is classified as a second-degree crime, which carries a potential penalty of five to ten years in prison and fines up to $150,000. The bill is set to take effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 2A:4A-26.1, 2C:20-17