NCJ Number
177513
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 27 Issue: 1 Dated: January-February 1999 Pages: 55-64
Date Published
1999
Length
10 pages
Annotation
Two hundred and twelve randomly selected adult residents of the New Orleans metropolitan area were surveyed by telephone in the spring of 1995 to determine their willingness to handle juvenile offenders as adults subject to criminal offenders, as an indication of public support for the more punitive handling of criminals.
Abstract
The research explored the relationship of legal elements (e.g., assaultive features) and extralegal elements (e.g., offender's race) of a case with respect to citizen's willingness to transfer juvenile offenders to adult criminal court. Results revealed that, in line with recent Louisiana legislation, the public believed that more violent youths should be tried in criminal court. However, the public countered that same legislation in that it remained willing to consider the offender's age in the same decision. Citizens were less likely to desire the transfer of a younger juvenile even when the crime in question was seriously violent. Citizens assessments of a case for potential transfer generally ignored the offender's prior record and the victim's gender, age, and race. The race of the survey participant had no role in the desire to transfer youth to adult court, but the offender's race clearly did. Citizens were somewhat more likely to express a preference for juvenile court waiver if the juvenile in question was black. Findings suggested that the exposure of the racial subtext in this part of the effort to become tougher on crime should receive attention. Tables, notes, and 42 references (Author abstract modified)