NCJ Number
179131
Journal
Juvenile and Family Court Journal Volume: 50 Issue: 3 Dated: Summer 1999 Pages: 1-10
Date Published
1999
Length
10 pages
Annotation
The juvenile court is examined with respect to the rationale for its establishment nearly 100 years ago, current attitudes toward adolescence and crime control, juvenile justice reforms that have resulted in the convergence of the adult and juvenile justice systems, and alternative directions for the future of the juvenile justice system.
Abstract
Juvenile justice has shifted from its original focus on the individual youth to a focus on the offense committed. The juvenile court has become more closely aligned with the criminal court. It has also emulated the adult system in its rhetoric and application or due process rights, although this application has been inconsistent. The juvenile court in recent years has also been increasingly affected by the media portrayal of youth, increasing political influences over criminal justice policy, and conservative and punitive ideology. The result has been legislation that has changed confidentiality provisions, expanded juvenile court waiver, and increased the incarceration of juveniles in adult correctional institutions. However, these changes do not appear to have reduced recidivism. The juvenile court must chart a new course as the millennium approaches. Cogent arguments exist for abolishing it, but it can survive. It will undergo a series of transformations to make it similar to the structure discussed by Butts and Harrell, who have proposed alternative specialty courts such as drug courts and teen courts. In addition, some promising early intervention approaches to juvenile delinquency prevention deserve consideration. Despite recent trends, recent research efforts and an emphasis on prevention offer hope for the future. Case and 38 references