NCJ Number
91643
Date Published
1983
Length
25 pages
Annotation
This study examines juvenile justice policy in the areas of formal versus informal processing, diversion, status offenders, detention, treatment alternatives, and due process and makes recommendations for improvement.
Abstract
Despite recent improvements in the juvenile justice system, there are still many problems and abuses to correct. Status offenders are still detained and institutionalized in secure facilities despite Federal legislation to counter this policy. Although court decisions have guaranteed juveniles procedural rights, juveniles represented by legal counsel are just as likely to be institutionalized. The training and experience of personnel who work in the juvenile system appear to make little difference in case outcome, and there is virtually no literature on how to classify juveniles for treatment. Little is known about how juvenile policy is made, and written policy is rarely available to guide persons at any level of the system when classifying juveniles or making dispositional decisions. The most important factors influencing case decisionmaking are the referral incident, the juvenile's statement, the juvenile's attitude and demeanor, and the number of prior police contacts. Preadjudication detention decisions are strongly influenced by the availability of alternatives to secure detention. As a policy, the juvenile court should make decisions only regarding the culpability of its clients and the appropriate degree to which client freedom should be curtailed, and it should endeavor to keep as many juveniles as possible from being formally processed. Juveniles should never be allowed to waive their legal rights, and attorneys should be assigned to every juvenile coming to court. Until enough is known to provide effective treatment for juveniles, the focus should be on making the system as equitable, just, and humane as possible. Seventy-five references are provided.