Common Sense and Juvenile Justice in America (From Juvenile Delinquency in the United States and the United Kingdom, P 87-98, 1999, Gary L. McDowell and Jinney S. Smith, eds. -- See NCJ-184940)

• NCJ Number: 184945
• Author(s): Edwin Meese III
• Date Published: 1999
• Length: 12 pages
• Sale Source: St. Martin's Press
• Publication Format: Book (Hardbound)
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Analysis
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This chapter examines how what is known about the characteristics of both the casual and the serious habitual juvenile offender can be used to improve the effectiveness of the juvenile justice system.

Abstract

First, the juvenile justice system must focus on the management of early contacts with juveniles. This means the juvenile justice system must focus on regrouping community services to improve coordination, the sharing of information, early intervention, and the use of complementary and consistent actions to contain delinquent behavior. Second, there is a need for greater responsibility and accountability on the part of those officials who deal with juveniles who come before the court or who become wards of the court. A specific person should have responsibility for the individual juvenile on a continuing basis, so as to ensure that the juvenile does not become anonymous within the system. Third, there must be a greater variety of community sanctions as alternatives to incarceration, and such sanctions must be administered in such a way that they are not viewed by the juvenile as beating the system. Another avenue of reform is to broaden the recruitment sources for personnel. It is a mistake to allow social workers to have a monopoly on juvenile justice positions, even to the extent of requiring advanced degrees in social work. The juvenile justice system should seek personnel from those who are retiring or otherwise leaving the military, since they have spent 10 to 20 years dealing with youth in a constructive way.