NCJ Number
133993
Date Published
1986
Length
226 pages
Annotation
This 2-volume annual report of New Jersey's Juvenile Delinquency Disposition Commission for 1986 analyzes the impact of the State's Juvenile Code during the initial phase of implementation, examines how New Jersey handles juvenile delinquency cases, and recommends a number of future actions.
Abstract
The Juvenile Code is designed to promote increased levels of coordination within the juvenile justice system. New Jersey has developed a system of Juvenile Family Crisis Intervention Units to handle minor delinquency and family- related problems. Further, mandated court service planning is operational for the first time. Despite this progress, however, the Juvenile Delinquency Commission has limited success in achieving certain Juvenile Code policy goals, Specifically, decisionmaking in the juvenile justice system is characterized by diversity. County variations in the use of detention, diversion, and dispositional interventions are apparent and raise questions about the degree of equity and uniformity. Significant dispositional service gaps exist because of limited resources and lack of responsiveness by service providers to court needs. While the Juvenile Code expands court jurisdictions to include parents, guardians, and family members found to be contributing to delinquency, available information suggests that few of these individuals are formally ordered to participate in dispositions. Recommendations to improve New Jersey's juvenile justice system and service delivery focus on the family court, juvenile-family crisis intervention, parental involvement in delinquency prevention, repeat offenders, developmentally disabled offenders, residential services, aftercare, and monitoring and research. A supplement to the main report provides statistical data on juvenile arrests, docketing, intake, adjudicated dispositions, and detention. Footnotes, tables, and figures