PROMISING TRENDS (FROM JUVENILE JUSTICE - THE HUMAN DIMENSION - HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PROCEEDINGS, 1978, BY LADY BROWN AND JUNE BERRY - SEE NCJ-50131)

• NCJ Number: 50143
• Author(s): C BUBANY
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 4 pages
• Corporate Author: Junior League of Lubbock, Inc; Texas Cmtte for the Humanities and Public Policy; National Endowment for the Humanities
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

INEFFECTIVENESS OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM RESULTING FROM OVEROPTIMISM, OVERORGANIZATION, AND USE OF EUPHEMISMS TO DESCRIBE TREATMENT IS DISCUSSED.

Abstract

THERE IS A NEW APPROACH EMERGING IN JUVENILE JUSTICE WHICH RECOGNIZES THAT A SOLUTION TO DELINQUENCY HAS NOT BEEN FOUND AND THAT ORGANIZATION OF RESOURCES ALONE WILL NOT MODIFY HUMAN BEHAVIOR. WHEN OVERORGANIZATION CREATES A CRISIS THAT SOCIETY CANNOT COPE WITH, IT CAMOUFLAGES THIS FAILURE BY DEVELOPING EUPHEMISMS; USE OF A SPECIAL VOCABULARY TO DISCUSS JUVENILE JUSTICE, THEREFORE, AMOUNTS TO AN ATTEMPT TO DISGUISE ITS FAULTS. THE REAL PURPOSE OF THE CORRECTIONS SYSTEM IS TO MAKE PEOPLE CONFORM. DIVERSION WAS DEVELOPED TO SPARE JUVENILES THE TRAUMA OF ADJUDICATION, BUT IT HAS OFTEN SERVED TO DEPRIVE CHILDREN OF THEIR RIGHTS TO A FAIR TRIAL AND TO COUNSEL. IT IS NECESSARY TO BUILD A JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM THAT IS RESPONSIVE TO THE REAL NEEDS OF JUVENILES. (DAG)