Juveniles in the Criminal Justice System - 4671 Words

Should Juvenile Offenders Be Tried As Adults? A Developmental Perspective on Changing Legal Policies Laurence Steinberg Temple University and The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Adolescent Development and Juvenile Justice Paper presented as a part of a Congressional Research Briefing entitled â€Å"Juvenile Crime: Causes and Consequences,† Washington, January 19, 2000. Address correspondence to the author at the Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, or at lds@vm.temple.edu. 1 Id like to talk today about recent changes in juvenile justice policy that are being implemented despite a full consideration of what research on child development has to say about the wisdom†¦show more content†¦Technically, this would not be considered a transfer. We know that there has been a steady increase over the last 15 years in the number of cases waived by judicial discretion — the number has doubled — but that the rate of transfer by this method has not increased and is still very low. Less than 2% of cases are waived by judges. There is still no national system of record-keeping about juvenile cases transferred through direct file or statutory exclusion, although we know that these mechanisms are replacing judicial waiver as a mechanism for transferring juveniles to criminal court. If we extrapolate from some regional studies of direct file, it appears that more juveniles are transferred by prosecutors than by judges. Rough estimates suggest that ab out 27,000 juveniles were prosecuted in criminal court in 1996, but this does not include adolescents who are under 18 but who are above the age of juvenile court jurisdiction in their state. Some estimates place this figure at about 180,000 per year. In other words, by one mechanism or another, more than 200,000 individuals under the age of 18 are prosecuted in criminal court each year. There are three trends in the data worth noting. First, the proportion of juveniles prosecuted as adults is growing, primarily because states are adding more and more offenses to the list of crimes that are excluded from the juvenile court. Second, a very largeShow MoreRelatedCriminal Justice And The Juvenile Justice System1689 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction to Criminal Justice Criminal Justice is such a broad subject and workforce. At this point in time criminal justice is needed more than ever in America and the world as we know it today. The criminal justice system has improved more and more throughout history by changing something as simple as law enforcement officer’s purpose and who they are taking orders from. The objective of this analysis is to break down these three criminal justice subjects: the juvenile justice system, prison lifeRead MoreJuveniles And The Criminal Justice System1594 Words   |  7 Pages Juveniles and the Criminal Justice System There is much debate over whether or not juveniles should ever be tried as adults. Juveniles are defined as children under the age of 18. In the past, juveniles have been tried in a separate juvenile court because of their age. However, trying juveniles as adults for violent crimes is a trend that is on the rise. Age is supposed to be a deterrent for placing those under 18 on trial and giving them stiffer punishments that are often reserved for adults. ManyRead MoreJuveniles : The Criminal Justice System1777 Words   |  8 PagesJuveniles in the Criminal Justice System Introduction In the United States, juveniles have always known to cause trouble in the community. In recent times, many individuals have the perception that juvenile crimes are on the rise and that these offenders are getting younger. Charging juveniles as adult has always been a debate, because of their thinking process and protecting their rights. There are many cases that regard juveniles that have changed the policies of this nation. Also for thoseRead MoreJuvenile Justice And The Criminal Justice System1801 Words   |  8 PagesJuveniles have always been a touchy subject in the criminal justice system. Many would argue that they deserve to be treated and sentenced as adults while others believe that they can be rehabilitated and changed into fully functioning members of society. Florida has established a Juvenile Detention Alternatives initiative in order to support the vision that all juvenile justice offenders would have opportunities put in place to develop them into law-abiding ad ults. This initiative uses core strategiesRead MoreJuvenile Delinquency And Juvenile Criminal Justice System1475 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction: Juvenile delinquency is an ever growing issue in the United States, according to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, â€Å"In 2012, there were 3,941 arrests for every 100,000 youths ages 10 through 17 in the United States† (OJJDP, 2014). The way juveniles are treated in the criminal justice system is very different than the way adults are. In 1899, in Cook County, Illinois, the first juvenile justice system in the country was founded. This established an alternativeRead MoreJuvenile Offenders And The Criminal Justice System860 Words   |  4 PagesOnce youth is committed a crime he or she must face the criminal justice. Whether it is simple face to face contact with the police officer or trip to juvenile facility, juvenile is becoming part of the criminal justice system. For many youth it is their first contact with the justice system however for some others it is a very familiar process. So once juvenile is making face to face contact with the police o fficers, his life is in the hands of that officer who can make very important and sometimeRead MoreThe Development Of A Juvenile Criminal Justice System1740 Words   |  7 Pagesantisocial behaviors. Therefore, the development of a juvenile criminal justice system was crucial as it is tailored to distinguish the judicial process related to juvenile crimes. Various facilities such as specialized detention centers and youth centers are also put in place in order to provide a proper rehabilitative environment to address the needs of the youth offenders. However, in the recent past, the trend has changed, and the distinct justice system for the youth offenders has been under attackRead MoreJuvenile Offenders And The Criminal Justice System1307 Words   |  6 Pagesdefined as â€Å"The behavior of a repeat or habitual criminal.† Juvenile offenders are studied on the re-offense that will occur and it is said that from 70% to 90% of offenders will re-offend. In the light of the criminal justice system and recidivism there is not actual consensus on what a criminal recidivism counts as, for example whether it counts as a repeat probation violation. National data that exist proves that 6 out of 10 juveniles return to juvenile court before their 18th birthday. You have toRead MoreJuvenile Delinquency and the Criminal Justice System1423 Words   |  6 Pagesespecially in the criminal justice system. Within the criminal justice system, juvenile delinquency is an issue that I find the most overlooked and it is a problem that is growing, particularly in the poorer areas. The term juvenile delinquency refers to the antisocial or criminal activity under the age of 18 which violates the law. Everyone is affected by juvenile crime, parents, teachers, families and neighbors. It is essential that programs are implemented to help with juvenile delinquents. AlthoughRead MoreJuvenile Crime : The Criminal Justice System1031 Words   |  5 PagesIn the 1990s, violent juve nile crime rates had reached record high levels throughout the United States. During these years, many Americans considered the criminal justice system too easy on violent juvenile offenders and demanded reform. Many states, including Florida began to focus efforts on juvenile crime. â€Å"Florida’s criminal sentencing laws and punishment policies from 1980 to 2000 reflected an ongoing, focused effort to deter serious crimes† (Taylor). Crimes were given stricter sentencing guidelines