NCJ Number
101465
Date Published
1985
Length
17 pages
Annotation
Both policymakers and criminal justice practitioners should be concerned about the role of the police in the British attendance centers for juveniles and in the implications of this role for the civil rights of juveniles and the separation of powers.
Abstract
Uncertainty exists regarding the role and use of juvenile attendance centers and even over who is responsible for them. The centers have operated since 1948. The police often operate them, although the officers who work in them do so as civilians. Although by the late 1960's, policymakers clearly believed that the attendance centers were outdated, magistrates have continued to assign youths to them. In fact, the number of centers increased in the late 1970's and 1980. Data from four centers for the first 6 months of 1984 showed wide variations in the use made of the centers. The centers are used for the full range of offenses and do not appear to be reserved for any particular age group or offense type. Expanding the police role in the centers would mean police involvement with these juveniles not only prior to their court appearances but also during the correctional process. This involvement has the potential for affecting future police decisions about giving warnings to these youths for future offenses. Tables, reference notes, and attached discussion of this conference presentation.