NCJ Number
173879
Journal
Journal of Juvenile Law Volume: 18 (1997) Issue: Dated: Pages: 209-214
Date Published
1997
Length
6 pages
Annotation
The appellate court decision in United States v. Three Juveniles held that the Federal Juvenile Delinquency Act does not violate either First Amendment or common law rights of public access to juvenile court proceedings, because it does not mandate the closure of juvenile proceedings; instead, it authorizes the closure at the trial court judge's discretion.
Abstract
The decision of the First Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed with the district court judge's interpretation that the Federal Juvenile Delinquency Act mandated closure. The case involved three male juveniles who were arrested and charged with civil rights violations for hate crimes they allegedly committed as members of a white supremacist group. The juveniles had already received considerable public attention, and their identities were widely publicized. The district court allowed certain documents to be released to the public, but denied public access to the arraignments. The Globe Newspaper Company brought suit to gain access to the proceedings. The appellate court review of the case involved the interpretation of and constitutionality of the law's confidentiality provisions. The court held that the law provides for the closure of proceedings at the discretion of the trial court judge, based on the circumstances of the case, furthering the purpose of rehabilitating and not punishing juvenile delinquents. Footnotes