NCJ Number
170007
Journal
Juvenile Justice Update Volume: 4 Issue: 1 Dated: (February/March 1998) Pages: 1-2,10-13
Date Published
1998
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article summarizes some of the most recent and compelling empirical evidence on the effectiveness of juvenile court intervention.
Abstract
Distorted, misleading, and erroneous information about juvenile violence and program effectiveness has endangered the future of the juvenile court. Recent studies show convincingly that juvenile court programs are highly effective. In fact, juvenile court treatment programs are more effective than punishment and incarceration in juvenile training schools and in adult prisons. Juvenile court programs are apparently more effective with more serious offenders than with less serious offenders, just the opposite of the myth perpetrated by those who would abolish the juvenile court. The juvenile court is effective even with chronic, serious, and violent cases, particularly when intervention occurs early in these offenders' careers. Its efforts would be even more successful if the juvenile court were to be better integrated with the other human services systems in a comprehensive strategy. Further, dependency cases, including child abuse and neglect, constitute approximately half of the workload of juvenile courts. The juvenile court is society's legal mechanism for resolving these difficult cases. Those who would abolish the juvenile court fail to take into account this vital role of the court.