NCJ Number
239354
Date Published
December 2011
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This introduction and overview of the Juvenile Justice Guide Book for Legislators identifies the areas in which juvenile justice reform is occurring in the States, and brief descriptions are provided of those reforms.
Abstract
A chapter on "Adolescent Development & Competency" discusses recent research that addresses adolescent culpability compared to that of adults. A chapter on "Delinquency Prevention & Intervention" explains how early intervention in children's lives can divert juveniles from the adverse consequences of delinquent behavior. It also discusses risk and protective factors and how they help increase or decrease the likelihood that a juvenile will engage in delinquent behavior. A chapter on "Indigent Defense, Counsel & Procedural Issues" highlights the challenges States face in providing adequate legal defense for juvenile offenders, especially those who are indigent. It explores promising options States have adopted in addressing legal services for juveniles; these include making it more difficult for juveniles to waive counsel and changing processes in order to streamline and improve data collection in pertinent to Medicaid eligibility. The section on "Reentry & Aftercare" discusses post-release supervision and services as youth make the transition from residential facilities to their home communities. A section on "Disproportionate Minority Contact" examines the overrepresentation of youth of color in the juvenile justice system and discusses State action for studying and addressing such disproportionality. A section on "Mental Health Needs of Juvenile Offenders" focuses on effective assessment and comprehensive response to court-involved juveniles with mental health needs. "References, Glossary & Resources" provides source documentation of research discussed in the text and citations to legislation. Other sections address the "Use of Medicaid for Juvenile Justice-Involved Children" and "Balanced & Restorative Justice," whose goals are community protection, offender accountability, and competency development.