NCJ Number
169276
Date Published
1998
Length
8 pages
Annotation
Considerable progress has made since the birth of the juvenile justice system at the end of the 19th century, but much remains to be done to enable the juvenile justice system to meet the needs of the 21st century.
Abstract
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention has reviewed juvenile justice programs and research on the juvenile justice system has been conducted. Program and research findings point the way toward understanding crucial elements for success in the juvenile justice system. A carefully conceived, properly implemented, and adequately funded juvenile justice system in the 21st century can be expected to increase responsiveness, accountability, community involvement, and program effectiveness and to decrease juvenile corrections costs. An effective juvenile justice system must include a mechanism for comprehensively assessing juveniles when they first enter the system, have the capacity to provide a range of treatment services, and incorporate increasingly severe sanctions and enhanced treatment services when juveniles fail to respond to initial interventions or are involved in particularly serious or violent offenses as a first-time offender. The most effective long-term response to the problem of juvenile delinquency and violence lies in improving the juvenile justice system and working to prevent delinquency before it occurs. A balanced and responsible approach to juvenile crime that coordinates law enforcement, courts, detention and corrections, treatment, and prevention resources in a cost-effective way can reduce juvenile crime and make communities safer. Graduated sanctions for adjudicated juvenile delinquents and the importance of quality case management and service integration are discussed. 23 references, 13 notes, and 2 photographs