Implications of California's 1977 Juvenile Justice Reform Law, 1981, Volume 9 - Corrective Legislation - Prediction and Process

• NCJ Number: 99817
• Author(s): C Maxson
• Date Published: Unknown
• Length: 144 pages
• Grant Number(s): 77-JN-99-0012; 78-JN-AX-0034
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

In the context of a broader discussion of the process whereby legislation is developed and subsequently modified, this study applies a model to the prediction and production of legislative modifications to California's 1977 Juvenile Justice Reform Law (AB3121).

Abstract

The analysis of legislative processing includes a review of the juvenile justice issues addressed in AB3121, the principal actors who attempted to influence the legislation, the character of their input, and how the bill was changed to incorporate that input. The study describes the Teilmann-Klein framework for predicting corrective legislation. This model contains criteria that measure the likelihood of a law's implementation. Components are 'signals' (clarity, legislative mandate, and fiscal trends and philosophic resonance), and ''control' (discretion, interorganizational power, and diffusion of control). The model is applied to predict corrections to AB3121, and the predictions are compared with the relevant legislation introduced in the legislative session following AB3121's enactment. The model was moderately successful in predicting changes but less effective in foreseeing which provisions would be unchanged. From the bills to modify AB3121, three are selected as case studies of the corrective process. The study identifies difficulties in applying the model and suggests refinements. Appendixes contain methodological information. 2 references.