Standards Relating to Adjudication

• NCJ Number: 83580
• Author(s): R O Dawson
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 102 pages
• Grant Number(s): 76-JN-99-0018; 78-JN-AX-0002; 74-NI-99-0043; 75-NI-99-0101; 71-NI-99-0014; 72-NI-99-0032; 79-JN-AX-00
• Agencies: OJJDP-Sponsored; American Bar Association

Annotation

Following a presentation of standards for the phases of juvenile adjudication, part of a series of volumes with standards for various aspects of juvenile justice administration, commentary is provided for each standard.

Abstract

The standards are intended as guidelines for action by legislators, judges, administrators, public and private agencies, local civic groups, and others responsible for or concerned with the treatment of juveniles at local, State, and Federal levels. Standards applicable to requisites for adjudication proceedings to begin cover the written petition, attorneys for respondent and the government, presence of respondent, presence of parents of respondent and others, and the opportunity to prepare for adjudication proceedings. Standards applicable to uncontested and contested adjudication proceedings deal with recording adjudication proceedings, amending the petition, double jeopardy protections, plea alternatives, effect of admission, effect of denial, and interpreters. Standards applicable to uncontested adjudication proceedings consider the following: capacity to plead, admonitions before accepting a plea admitting an allegation of the petition, responsibilities of the juvenile court judge with respect to plea agreements, determining voluntariness of a plea admitting the allegations of the petition, determining accuracy of a plea admitting the allegations of the petition, inquiry concerning effectiveness of representation, parental participation in uncontested cases, and plea withdrawal. Other standards apply to contested adjudication proceedings, the adjudication decision, and public access to adjudication proceedings. A dissenting view is provided, and standards to eliminate plea bargaining are appended. A bibliography of 28 listings is included.