NCJ Number
136780
Journal
Juvenile and Family Court Journal Volume: 43 Issue: 1 Dated: (1992) Pages: 1-9
Date Published
1992
Length
9 pages
Annotation
The juvenile justice system has undergone radical change in the past three decades and is currently struggling to clarify its philosophy, but the lack of clarity of the emerging concepts has resulted in a lack of consensus regarding the nature and purpose of the new approach to juvenile justice.
Abstract
The procedural changes that began with the Gault decision has more recently evolved into a substantive revolution. The most significant change has been in the apparent demise of the rehabilitative ideal. New theories or models have emerged that incorporate terminology such as punishment, justice, and accountability into State juvenile codes and the vocabulary of juvenile justice personnel. However, these concepts have not been clearly defined, and the philosophical debate may merely be a guise to cover the underlying political and social agenda based on the public's desire for vengeance and public protection. 53 reference notes (Author abstract modified)