NCJ Number
157944
Journal
State Legislatures Dated: (May 1995) Pages: 14-19
Date Published
1995
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Youth crime and violence has spurred States to reinvent juvenile justice and to hold serious juvenile offenders more accountable, but juvenile waiver to adult court and other "get tough" policies may not be appropriate responses.
Abstract
In 1994, nearly half of State legislatures passed new provisions giving adult courts jurisdiction over crimes committed by juveniles. Some contend that States are making fundamental changes in juvenile justice based on only a few cases and that the wave of "get tough" policies has resulted from panic perpetrated by the media. An action plan for dealing with violent juvenile crime, developed by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, suggests that treating juveniles as adults may be misguided. Overall, studies indicate that the juvenile justice system works well in States that rely on community-based programs for all but the most serious and violent juvenile offenders. The incidence of homicide perpetrated by juveniles or involving juvenile victims is discussed, and changes in the wording of State juvenile justice codes for juveniles who commit violent crimes are noted.