Juvenile Justice: Shoring Up the Foundations (From Crime and Justice: A Review of Research, Volume 22, P 253-301, 1997, Michael Tonry, ed. -- See NCJ-166203)

• NCJ Number: 166209
• Author(s): M H Moore; S Wakeling
• Date Published: 1997
• Length: 49 pages
• Sale Source: University of Chicago Press
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

The juvenile justice system in the United States is criticized by the left of the political spectrum for its intrusiveness, unfairness, and failure to provide needed services and by the right for its failure to hold offenders accountable and protect society.

Abstract

The traditional parens patriae premise of juvenile courts has been undermined and the credibility of these courts has declined. Likely results are abolition or "criminalization" of juvenile courts or their subsumption into family courts with broad mandates. The latter result is more promising if the juvenile court is reconceptualized as a court for "bankrupt families" and focuses on juvenile crime as merely one of several areas of responsibility. A coherent theoretical framework for juvenile court jurisdiction is suggested, the evolving juvenile justice mandate is discussed, and social trends affecting the work of the juvenile justice system are noted. Appendixes provide further information on subjects of interest to family and juvenile courts, juvenile court transfer provisions, and family court status in the United States. 72 references and 2 figures