NCJ Number
99914
Date Published
1985
Length
130 pages
Annotation
This textbook outlines the stages in the juvenile justice process in the United States and examines current critical issues facing the juvenile justice system.
Abstract
A discussion of the scope of juvenile justice considers the definition of delinquency, historical changes in perceptions regarding children, the philosophy underlying the juvenile justice system, the system's basic structure, and the issue of juvenile diversion. An examination of the police role in juvenile justice focuses on the complexity of their role as gatekeepers for the criminal justice system, the rights of juveniles in their interactions with police, and goals and problems of specialized police units focusing on juvenile diversion. The juvenile court is discussed in terms of its origin and jurisdiction, its structure, the procedural rights of juveniles, and views regarding the issue of transferring juveniles to adult court. An examination of juvenile adjudication considers detention, the adjudicatory hearing, the disposition hearing, and the decriminalization of status offenses. Juvenile sanctions are also discussed, with emphasis on their goals, institutional and community-based alternatives, and the handling of dangerous juvenile offenders. The final chapter examines issues related to the evaluation of programs for juveniles, particularly the criteria used for success and the issues that emerged from evaluations of prevention programs run by inmates. A figure, data tables, an index, and 69 references are supplied.