Juvenile Delinquency and Community Prosecution: New Strategies for Old Problems

• NCJ Number: 216420
• Author(s): Caren Harp; Michael Kuykendall; Marsha Cunningham; Teresa Ware
• Date Published: January 2004
• Length: 38 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2000-PP-CX-K001; 95-MU-FX-001
• Sponsoring Agency: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP); Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
• Corporate Author: American Prosecutors Research Institute
• Sale Source: American Prosecutors Research Institute
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: From the American Prosecutors Research Institute Special Topics Series

Annotation

This monograph describes community prosecution and considers the potential to integrate community prosecution and juvenile justice.

Abstract

Community prosecution is a long-term, comprehensive crime reduction strategy that combines the efforts of law enforcement, prosecutor’s offices, government service agencies, schools, community members, and the faith community to focus on criminal justice problem solving rather than punishment. Core elements that differentiate community prosecution from traditional prosecution are: (1) active involvement of the community in defining problems and identifying solutions; (2) prosecutor-led problem-solving that focuses on non-traditional enforcement efforts; and (3) partnerships with law enforcement, other government agencies, businesses, schools, and other community-based groups. Community prosecution schemes are based on the Broken Windows theory that holds a community’s quality of life deteriorates when crime is not addressed promptly. In keeping with the core elements of this theory, community prosecutors generally select a geographic area to focus community prosecution efforts. Community prosecution then focuses on building a community-based network to assist in identifying youths who are core offenders and youths who may benefit from juvenile justice diversion. Examples of successful community prosecution models from around the country are presented and include Suffolk County’s (New York) Community Based Juvenile Justice Program, which offers unique solutions to juvenile crime problems, and Kings County (New York) Youth and Congregations in Partnership program, in which a coalition of churches “adopt” juvenile offenders for mentoring. Common themes between community prosecution and the juvenile justice system are discussed, such as the role of youth in the operation of the systems, resistance to change within the prosecutor’s office, the importance of staffing, interagency collaboration, and limits on community control over prosecutorial functions. The monograph also discusses the similarities and differences between community prosecution and balanced and restorative justice models, noting that the strategies of community prosecution fit well within a justice system embracing balanced and restorative justice. Footnotes, resources