NCJ Number
88286
Date Published
1982
Length
16 pages
Annotation
Following an outline of the history of police juvenile services, this chapter describes police internal activities related to youth offenses and external activities that focus on systemic policies, training, consultation, and leadership.
Abstract
In recent years, changes in theory have resulted in the belief that the police role with juveniles is significant enough to require separate organizational status and efforts to mobilize community resources to combat both the causes and effects of juvenile misbehavior. The concepts of control and prevention are still important in assessing an agency's juvenile operations, but they no longer categorize the diverse activities which compose the total effort. The tightening of the bonds between the police and other agencies and institutions involved in the control and prevention of delinquency has resulted in the emergence of many new functions which do not clearly fit either of the earlier categories of police activity in relation to juveniles. Internally focused activities consist of the investigation of youth offenses, the disposition decision (counsel and release, station adjustment, and referral to the court), development of policies and procedures, training, and internal consultation. While there is still debate about the extent to which police should become involved in efforts to rehabilitate juveniles, programs that might involve some level of police involvement are counseling juveniles and their families collectively and individually, efforts to improve police relations with specific community groups (e.g., minority families), and cooperation with other components of the juvenile justice system. Seventeen footnotes are provided.