NCJ Number
77229
Journal
Adolescence Volume: 16 Issue: 61 Dated: (Spring 1981) Pages: 101-109
Date Published
1981
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This article describes the juvenile justice system in operation and discusses the educator's possible role in relation to that system.
Abstract
It analyzes the juvenile justice system from the time a delinquent act is reported through the time the juvenile is processed through juvenile court, adjudicated delinquent, and ultimately released into the community either on probation or aftercare. The educator could be called upon to provide information to the juvenile justice system at numerous points in this process. Typically, these points would occur during the police investigation, the detention hearing, the intake hearing, the waiver hearing, the social history investigation, the dispositional hearing, probation or aftercare, and revocation of probation or aftercare. The educator's role in each of these situations is primarily reactive, providing educational histories and assessments and participating in monitoring the child's probation or aftercare activities. Although the court-appointed officer, not the educator, is the primary person in charge of the child's program, if educators are aware of the child's probation goals or contract they may be able to facilitate the accomplishment of the goals. As a preventive measure, all children in the public school system could be taught the basics of public law. Such a course could include teaching definitions of crimes as well as familiarization with personnel in the legal system. A preventive course might also posit hypothetical crime situations and ask the child to prescribe a disposition. As a remedial measure, such a program might involve an evaluation of the reason(s) the child is not involved in the juvenile justice system. This approach might help the student develop more socially acceptable internal controls. A flow chart and 13 references are provided.