Injustice in Juvenile Justice (From Serious Habitual Offender/Drug Involved Program (SHO/DI), Volume 1: Informational Commentaries, Phase I, 1986, P 8.1-8.12, Robert O Heck et al -- See NCJ-108314)

• NCJ Number: 108322
• Author(s): R O Heck; W Pindur; D K Wells
• Date Published: 1986
• Length: 12 pages
• Corporate Author: US Dept of Justice
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: For microfiche, see NCJ-108314.

Annotation

Historically, the juvenile justice system has been based on a philosophy of protection, guidance, and rehabilitation. This philosophy, however, has been ineffective in dealing with the problem of the serious and habitual juvenile offender.

Abstract

Numerous studies have shown that there is a small number of juveniles who commit serious crimes over and over again with total disregard for the juvenile justice system. These delinquents are responsible for far more than their share of criminal activity and raise questions about the legitimacy of an approach that emphasizes rehabilitation at the expense of the victims and the community. A focus of the serious habitual offender/drug involved program has been the identification of this group of juvenile delinquents. Juveniles are targeted for the program on the basis of prior offense history and seriousness of offenses. Once they have been identified, efforts focus on preventing pretrial delays, case dismissal, plea bargaining, and sentence reductions. It is hoped that this law enforcement approach to serious habitual offenders will prove more appropriate and more effective. 13 endnotes.