NCJ Number
210021
Editor(s)
Lourdes M. Rosado
Date Published
June 2000
Length
72 pages
Annotation
This first of six modules of a Juvenile Court Training Curriculum instructs participants in key aspects of adolescent development and how to apply this knowledge in their decisionmaking at critical junctures in the juvenile court process.
Abstract
The five key areas of adolescent development addressed in the module are cognitive (adolescent thinking that may increase risk-taking and problem behavior); moral (concepts of right and wrong and how these are influenced by family, peers, and community); identity and social (how adolescents develop an identity in social interactions); biological (physical changes that influence adolescent behavior); and competence (mastery of skills). The module also focuses on how a thorough knowledge of these areas of adolescent development can influence the assessment and response to each juvenile at the following critical stages of case processing: intake, detention, waiver to adult court, adjudication, and disposition. At each of these stages, knowledgeable court personnel will be better prepared to identify those factors that led to a particular juvenile's involvement in the court system and to select those interventions likely to be most effective for the individual. The module describes an interactive exercise on applying adolescent development theory to youth in the juvenile justice system. A 12-item bibliography and appended case law that recognizes that juveniles are different from adults, a small group exercise worksheet, case studies for use in module one exercises, and suggestions for movies for audiovisual aids