NCJ Number
167088
Date Published
1997
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This paper reviews the history of the development of law- related education (LRE) for juveniles and explains how it contributes to juvenile delinquency prevention.
Abstract
What began as an effort to teach the Bill of Rights in public schools has developed into a national movement to provide LRE for juvenile justice populations. Although the early civic education organizations did not focus on delinquency prevention per se, they developed curriculum materials and collaborative relationships that provided the foundation for later efforts. Jaworski and the ABA provided the organization and resources to make LRE a national movement, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention targeted LRE projects for delinquency prevention. The early efforts of Starr, Monroe, and Quigley in the 1960's laid the foundation for the LRE/juvenile justice initiative in the 1990's. Curriculum and program models have been developed, implemented, evaluated, and revised. The founding civic organizations have institutionalized LRE programs in many areas. In recent years, LRE has expanded in ways unforeseen by its founders. The LRE movement aims to demystify the majesty of law. LRE programs work, in part, because they are founded on the premise that juveniles cannot adhere to principles they do not understand or believe to be irrelevant to their lives. LRE challenges youth to believe that the Nation's legal heritage belongs to them. 11 references.