"Stolen Car Accountability Act"; concerns juveniles tried as adults for motor vehicle theft and residential burglary.

This bill (A5657, "Stolen Car Accountability Act") creates a plea bargaining option for juveniles charged with residential burglary and motor vehicle theft committed together. It applies to non-violent first-time offenders who cooperate with prosecutors to help arrest an adult leader of an auto theft network or recruiter. If accepted, the juvenile can plead guilty to motor vehicle theft (a third-degree crime) in exchange for dismissal of the burglary charge and a 5-year prison sentence with 3 years parole ineligibility. After 3 years of serving their sentence, they become eligible for expungement of the record. The bill directly affects juveniles meeting these specific criteria, not all juvenile offenders.