Juvenile Justice (From National Victim Assistance Academy, P 3.1.1 - 3.1.30, 2000, Anne Seymour, Morna Murray, eds. et al., -- See NCJ 184052)

• NCJ Number: 184056
• Author(s): Anne Seymour
• Date Published: 2000
• Length: 30 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Office for Victims of Crime (OVC)
• Sale Source: NCJRS Photocopy Services; OVC Resource Ctr
• Publication Series: OVC Others
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This chapter presents an overview of the juvenile justice system as it pertains to the administration of justice and issues of importance to victims of crime.

Abstract

The chapter discusses juvenile justice procedures, victims’ rights within the juvenile justice system, initiatives that involve victim/offender programming and creative dispositions that incorporate raising victim awareness among juvenile offenders, victim assistance services in juvenile court and promising practices. Recent research has disclosed that virtually all victim participants in the juvenile justice process had negative experiences, perceived a lack of respect for their dignity as human beings and lack of understanding about their experiences and felt they should be treated as “clients” of the juvenile court. Judges generally regarded the victim as a client of the juvenile justice system with some role in juvenile court. Some judges felt helpless in responding to victims’ needs, appeared to suggest victims’ lack of motivation was a primary factor in lack of victim involvement, and considered that victims were not adequately prepared for their juvenile court experience. There was consensus among judges that improvements are needed in processes involving victim notification, participation, impact statements, and restitution. Table