NCJ Number
73761
Journal
Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare Volume: 7 Issue: 2 Dated: (January 1980) Pages: 236-245
Date Published
1980
Length
10 pages
Annotation
The lesser known negative side effects of the deinstitutionalization of juvenile status offenders are analyzed and supported by statistical evidence from Arkansas.
Abstract
The last wave of reform efforts in the juvenile justice system resulted in an officially sanctioned plan to deinstitutionalize status offenders. However, an examination of the practical implementation of the plan suggests that the majority of previous status offenders continues to be incarcerated. Since Arkansas statistics indicate that a great number of all institutionalized juveniles were status offenders and that they served longer terms than juvenile delinquents, one would expect a dramatic decrease in the juvenile institutionalized population through the removal of status offenders. Instead, the total number of incarcerated children remained about the same; only the number of delinquents increased while the number of status offenders decreased. Since overall juvenile delinquent activities remained about the same for the period, indications are that part of those juveniles who were previously institutionalized as status offenders are now relabeled and institutionalized as juvenile delinquents. Many of the true status offenders will probably be placed on probation by those courts which have no alternative placements available. If those probationers violate their probation conditions, they can be labeled as juvenile delinquents and then be institutionalized. It is argued that substantive changes in the juvenile justice system would be more fruitful than mere procedural changes such as switching labels on incarcerated juveniles.