Juvenile Justice

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Juvenile Justice
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Early History

• Early in U.S. history, children who broke the law
  were treated the same as adult criminals.
• The first juvenile court in this country was
  established in Cook County, Illinois, in 1899.
• Juvenile courts flourished for the first half of
  the 20th century.

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Procedures and Process

• The focus on offenders and not offenses, on
  rehabilitation and not punishment, had
  substantial procedural impact.
• As public confidence in the treatment model
  waned, due process protections were introduced.
  some stress punishment, but most seek a balanced
  approach.

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The Pendulum Swings

• In the 1980s, the pendulum began to swing toward
  law and order.
• The 1990s were a time of unprecedented change as
  State legislatures began to crack down on
  juvenile crime.

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U.S. Supreme Court cases

• http//www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/178995.pdf

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State statutes define who is under the
jurisdiction of juvenile court.
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The juvenile justice system differs from the
criminal justice system, but there is common
ground.
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All States allow juveniles to be tried as adults
in criminal court under certain circumstances.
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New laws have had a dramatic impact on sentencing
for serious or violent juvenile offenders.