NCJ Number
114947
Date Published
1989
Length
80 pages
Annotation
The recommendation that adult criminal history records include information on juvenile convictions poses a fundamental challenge to the traditional philosophy of the juvenile court regarding the confidentiality protections governing juvenile records.
Abstract
In 1981, the U.S. Attorney General's Task Force concluded that statutory restrictions on the use of juvenile records in adult criminal courts impaired the ability of these courts to impose "appropriate sentences" for adults with juvenile criminal histories. The ensuing recommendation resulted in a national conference focusing on the controversial issues surrounding the inclusion of juvenile offenses in adult criminal history records. According to juvenile crime statistics, there is a very strong correlation between juvenile delinquency and adult crime, and there is no evidence that rehabilitation is effective with chronic offenders. However, there are a number of problems with juvenile records: the breadth of police discretion regarding juvenile arrests and adjudications; the quality of juvenile records and the absence of dispositions; the lack of audit standards; and the lack of positive identification. Consequently, there are certain juveniles who are a good risk for society and therefore, their juvenile record should be kept strictly confidential so as to improve their chances for rehabilitation. The improvement of the quality of juvenile records by full automation is recommended.