People v. Jackson

Automatic transfer provision of Juvenile Court Act, where juveniles age 15 charged with certain Class X felonies are automatically transferred to criminal court, does not impose any punishment, and thus is not subject to eighth amendment's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. Court properly denied Defendant's expert, a professor of social work, access to child victim for a forced interview; mental state of victim did not bear directly on essential element of charge. Court properly refused to allow defense expert to sit at counsel table during State's case, based on practice of excluding witnesses. Court properly barred defense expert from commenting on credibility of victim. (CONNORS and HARRIS, concurring.)