NCJ Number
165931
Date Published
1996
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This paper reviews Challenge Activity B under the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 as reauthorized in 1992; this activity pertains to the development and adoption of policies and programs to provide access to counsel for all juveniles in the justice system to ensure that juveniles consult with counsel before waiving the right to counsel.
Abstract
The 1992 reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 added Part E, State Challenge Activities, to the programs funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The purpose of Part E is to provide initiatives for States participating in the Formula Grants Programs to develop, adopt, and improve policies and programs in one or more of 10 specified Challenge areas. In focusing on Challenge Activity B, this paper first reviews a juvenile's due process rights as manifested under the 1967 landmark Supreme Court case of In re Gault. The authors advise that research in the area of access to counsel for juvenile offenders has raised concerns that the rights defined in the Gault decision have not been fully extended to juveniles. Researchers have repeatedly found low percentages of legal representation in juvenile courts across the Nation. This paper outlines strategies to ensure juveniles access to counsel and then profiles 10 promising approaches. Some of the characteristics shared by the programs are the creative use of Federal, State, local, and private funding sources; commitment to manageable caseloads; excellent training and supervision; the innovative use of law and other graduate students; strong community involvement; and an interagency "team" approach to cases. A 37-item bibliography, 9 resource organizations, and 21 notes