NCJ Number
142614
Journal
New England Journal of Criminal and Civil Confinement Volume: 19 Issue: 1 Dated: (Winter 1993) Pages: 201-221
Date Published
1993
Length
21 pages
Annotation
Juvenile justice legislation recently enacted in Massachusetts was passed in response to growing public pressure to turn the system away from traditionally held concepts of rehabilitation toward a higher level of accountability for juveniles charged with serious or violent crimes.
Abstract
Massachusetts has long been a leader in the field of juvenile justice, operating a system of small, community-based programs designed to protect the public and reintegrate the youthful offender back into society as a responsible citizen. This dual mandate contrasts sharply with the objectives of the adult criminal justice system, which is geared toward establishing accountability, guilt, and punishment. The passage of Chapter 488 to amend the Massachusetts Juvenile Code was designed to toughen sanctions against violent juvenile offenders. However, the author argues that the statute merely indicates the State's willingness to transfer automatically to adult court juveniles charged with violent crimes, fails to promote public safety, creates an unnecessary expenditure of funds, and inappropriately expands the jurisdiction of the district court. 127 notes