NCJ Number
214000
Date Published
2006
Length
35 pages
Annotation
This chapter examines proposals for the future of the juvenile court system.
Abstract
The authors begin by contending that the juvenile court system is in crisis and facing possible eradication. One proposal for saving the juvenile court system is to return to the rehabilitative and parens patriae basis of the juvenile justice system by actually delivering on the original promise of juvenile rehabilitation. Critics of this proposal, however, point out that a rehabilitative model is doomed to failure for several reasons; one being that an inherently punitive court system can never provide effective rehabilitation because the court system is based on the notion of punishment, not assistance. Other proposals for reforming the juvenile court system are described and include the criminalization of juvenile court, which would provide juveniles with the procedural protections of adult criminal court, and abolishing juvenile court altogether in favor of using the adult criminal court system for all offenders regardless of age. Others propose a youth justice system within the adult criminal court, which would effectively create a specialized youth court much like current drug and mental health courts. Still other researchers suggest that a restorative justice juvenile court is the most effective means of dealing with juvenile offenders. Next, broader issues affecting the juvenile court system are described, such as issues of race and racism, the need to rebuild communities, the role of the family in juvenile justice, social support for families, and the role of religion in juvenile corrections. Arguments for and against capital punishment for juveniles are presented followed by a discussion of jurisdictional issues over juvenile status offenders. Five discussion questions help guide classroom discussion and assignments. Key terms are listed.