NCJ Number
157259
Date Published
1995
Length
55 pages
Annotation
In promoting juvenile justice advocacy in Arizona, this handbook provides a history of juvenile justice in the United States, an overview of Arizona's juvenile justice system, a review of how the system is funded, a statistical overview, and a discussion of current issues and trends in juvenile justice.
Abstract
A summary of the history of juvenile justice in the United States begins with a discussion of the perspective on antisocial children that produced the first juvenile court. It ends with a review of juvenile justice today and an assessment of whether the system can be reformed. The latter discussion frames the critical question, that is, whether or not the juvenile justice system should be abolished, and if not, what changes should be implemented to make the system more effective in modifying delinquent behavior and protecting the public. An overview of Arizona's juvenile justice system examines decisionmaking in the juvenile justice system, how the system works, and the various correctional alternatives for those processed by the juvenile justice system. A discussion of how the system is funded includes consideration of the costs for detention and treatment programs, the current funding system, and the need for an alternative funding system. Data in the statistical overview pertain to the juvenile population in Arizona, the number and types of referrals, who is referred to the juvenile courts, whether such referrals are increasing, and dispositional outcomes. Among the issues addressed in the section on current issues and trends in juvenile justice are transfer to adult court, overrepresentation of minority youth in the juvenile justice system, gangs, confidentiality, juvenile violence, juveniles and firearms, and reform versus abolition of the juvenile court. A list of 26 sources