NCJ Number
217880
Date Published
2007
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This chapter addresses trends and issues related to juvenile justice policy.
Abstract
In the first years of the 21st century, following more than a decade of "get-tough" policies that placed juveniles in dangerous and ineffective correctional environments such as boot camps, adult prisons, and overcrowded facilities, a few jurisdictions are beginning to return to the rehabilitation-oriented juvenile justice ideal. This change in emphasis may have been influenced by the growing body of research that has found the prevalent "get-tough" tactics to be ineffective in changing juvenile behavior and likely to promote future offending. Treatment-oriented approaches, on the other hand, have been found by researchers to be effective in reducing juvenile reoffending when matched to the needs and circumstances of individual juvenile offenders. The future direction of juvenile justice policy in America is uncertain, as a "get-tough" policy persists in most juvenile justice systems. Recent legislation and budgets indicate that national leaders are not committed to searching for effective and humane solutions to the problems underlying juvenile crime. Although the era of punitiveness has affected all youth entering the justice system, it has been particularly difficult for African-Americans, who have been disproportionately tried in adult criminal courts and sent to adult prisons. There are indications, however, that States and local communities are beginning to return to rehabilitation-oriented juvenile justice policy. These States include Missouri, Louisiana, and California. It remains to be seen whether such reform will gain momentum and spread across the country. 1 table and 82 references