STATUTORY LEGITIMACY IN JUVENILE JUSTICE - A STUDY OF PINS

• NCJ Number: 54590
• Author(s): H PIVEN
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 166 pages
• Corporate Author: Children's Aid Soc
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

ALL PERSONS IN NEED OF SUPERVISION (PINS) CASES BROUGHT TO PROBATION INTAKE OF THE MANHATTAN FAMILY COURT DURING APRIL AND MAY 1977 ARE FOLLOWED TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF FAMILY COURT INTERVENTION.

Abstract

THIS STUDY EXAMINED THE OFFICIAL PROBATION INTAKE RECORDS FOR 187 STATUS OFFENDERS COMING TO COURT ATTENTION DURING THE 2-MONTH PERIOD, THEN GATHERED ADDITIONAL DATA FROM PROBATION WORKER STUDY QUESTIONNAIRES, PERSONAL INTERVIEWS WITH PARENTS AND CHILDREN, QUESTIONNAIRES FILLED OUT BY FAMILY COURT JUDGES, AND OFFICIAL FAMILY COURT CLERK RECORDS. TABLES AND CHARTS PRESENT DATA ON AGE, SEX, AND RACE OF THE PINS CHILDREN, THE BEHAVIORAL DIFFICULTIES MANIFESTED, AND THE UTILIZATION OF RESOURCES FOR THESE CHILDREN BEFORE A PINS PETITION WAS FILED. THE INTERVIEWS ARE USED TO ASSESS THE VALIDITY OF THE PINS STATUTES AS SEEN BY PROBATION INTAKE WORKERS AND JUDGES AND BY PETITIONERS AND CHILDREN. THE DISPOSITION OF THE STUDY CASES ARE TRACED, AND THE STATISTICS ARE ANALYZED FOR EVIDENCES OF BIAS. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE PARENTS AND CHILDREN BOTH PERCEIVE THE PINS PROCEEDINGS AS HAVING VALUE. THE CASE HISTORIES INDICATE THAT A VARIETY OF SCHOOL AND VOLUNTARY COMMUNITY AGENCY SERVICES, AS WELL AS WELFARE AND GOVERNMENT SERVICES, HAD BEEN TRIED BEFORE THE PINS PETITION WAS FILED. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE COURTS ULTIMATELY WILL HAVE TO ASSUME SOME SORT OF SUPERVISION FOR STATUS OFFENDERS WHOSE BEHAVIOR CANNOT BE HANDLED IN ANY OTHER WAY. RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: A SERVICE ORIENTATION SHOULD BE EMPHASIZED; THE BAR ASSOCIATION SHOULD INTERVENE ACTIVELY TO REPLACE THE PRESENT UNEQUAL HEARING ARRANGEMENT WHICH PLACES THE MOTHER, USUALLY BY HERSELF, AGAINST THE LEGAL AID ATTORNEY REPRESENTING THE CHILD; AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS SHOULD BE BROUGHT INTO THE PROCESS. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT ABOLITION OF THE PINS PROCEDURE WOULD ACTUALLY RESULT IN DENIAL OF SERVICES TO POOR AND MINORITY CHILDREN. FOOTNOTES CONTAIN MANY REFERENCES. ADDITIONAL STATISTICS AND THE SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRES ARE APPENDED. (GLR)