NCJ Number
160999
Journal
State Legislative Report Volume: 20 Issue: 17 Dated: (November 1995) Pages: 1-15
Date Published
1995
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This review of juvenile crime and justice State legislation for 1995 addresses system reorganizations and reforms, the handling of juvenile offenders as adult offenders, juvenile gangs and parental responsibility, juvenile crime prevention, and records-related legislation.
Abstract
States are addressing juvenile crime as a high priority again in 1995. Legislatures in Connecticut, Missouri, Oregon, and Texas passed sweeping changes in how juvenile justice will be administered and operated. Some of the new laws take a comprehensive approach, with attention to prevention, early intervention, and graduated sanctions for juveniles, as well as criminal handling of the most serious and violent juvenile offenders. In many States, the trend continues to waiver or directly file serious juvenile offenders into adult criminal courts. Also prominent this year are new laws to fingerprint and photograph juveniles, open juvenile proceedings and records, extend victims' rights to victims of serious crimes perpetrated by juveniles, and involve and hold accountable parents of serious or chronic juvenile offenders. Pennsylvania addressed juvenile justice in a special session held earlier in 1995 concurrently with its regular session, which follows a similar extraordinary session in Arkansas in late 1994.