NCJ Number
181631
Journal
Juvenile and Family Court Journal Volume: 51 Issue: 1 Dated: Winter 2000 Pages: 9-20
Date Published
2000
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This study examines the determinants of public opinion regarding three types of juvenile crimes deemed suitable for trial in criminal court.
Abstract
The public overwhelmingly supports juvenile waivers, especially for juveniles charged with violent crimes. More than two-thirds of the public approves waiver of juveniles who commit violent, property and drug-related offenses. The public also distinguishes among these three offenses based upon their severity. The study did not address the issue of “threshold,” i.e., the type of offenses, in the public’s willingness to transfer juveniles to the adult system. Questions also remain regarding the age threshold for the waiver decisions. For whites, opinions about waiver decisions were largely contingent upon their belief in rehabilitation. For nonwhites, poverty and religion were the two most consistent factors among all predictors. The article recommends that the public should be informed that waiver decisions not only fail to achieve the intended goal of curtailing juvenile crimes, but also further undermine the foundation of a well-intended and functioning juvenile justice system. Tables, references