CHILDREN'S UNDERSTANDING OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM: A COGNITIVE-DEVELOPMENTAL PERSPECTIVE (FROM YOUTH INJUSTICE: CANADIAN PERSPECTIVES, P 249-262, 1993, THOMAS O'REILLY-FLEMING, BARRY CLARK, EDS. -- SEE NCJ-148261)

• NCJ Number: 148276
• Author(s): M Peterson
• Date Published: 1993
• Length: 14 pages
• Sale Source: Canadian Scholars Press
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: Canada

Annotation

This study explores the development of children's understanding of crime and of the justice considerations embodied in law.

Abstract

Children's understanding of crime is an important topic for investigation because the concept of crime presumes understanding and intent, and because in order for juvenile justice legislation to be most effective, children should have some basic knowledge of how it affects them. This study, with the Young Offenders Act (YOA) as its focus, interviewed 144 children from Grades 5 through 8. Interviewers assessed the children's knowledge through the presentation of hypothetical crime scenarios in which children committed crimes. The results indicated that, although all the children possessed a basic knowledge of what constitutes a crime, they showed a progressively more sophisticated understanding with age in a number of areas related to criminal behavior. Their overall knowledge of the YOA was quite poor. Recommendation was made for a program designed to educate children on some of the most important aspects of the law, with the suggestion that if children have a better understanding of the consequences of criminal behavior, they may be less likely to participate. Tables, endnotes