NCJ Number
191101
Journal
International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology Volume: 45 Issue: 5 Dated: October 2001 Pages: 593-605
Date Published
October 2001
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This study examined the perceptions of young Canadian offenders regarding youth court dispositions.
Abstract
There is a great deal of concern regarding the effectiveness of youth court dispositions in Canada and the United States. Juvenile court sentences are perceived by the public as too lenient and a contributing factor to youth crime. In contrast to the public outcry, available research suggested that harsher sentences and transfers to adult court do not serve as deterrents for young people. An examination of how juvenile offenders perceive their sentences can add to the understanding of the functions that these dispositions serve in their lives and the extent to which they fulfill the goal of crime control through deterrence. Fifty-three young male offenders from Canada ranging in age from 13 to 17 participated in the study. They were interviewed about their perceptions of youth court dispositions and what offender, offense, and disposition characteristics predicted their beliefs about the specific and general deterrent value of their sentences. Juveniles varied in their perceptions about their sentences as deterrents, but the characteristics examined did not adequately account for this variation. Their perceptions reflected multiple approaches to achieving deterrence, including not only the get-tough focus on dispositions as punishments but also the role that sentences played in helping young offenders achieve personal change. The results of this study cast doubt on the validity of increasing the punitiveness of sentences to achieve deterrence. 2 tables, 22 references