Download Juvenile Delinquency

Juvenile Delinquency
Professor Brown
Unit 7: The History of Juvenile Justice
and Police Work with Juveniles
• Unit Overview-This unit examines the history and development of
the juvenile court and the rights currently afforded to youths. The
first juvenile court was established in 1899. Initially, treatment was
the emphasis of the court philosophy. During the 1960s and early
1970s, the juvenile court process was scrutinized in several
important matters brought before the U.S. Supreme Court, which
had far-reaching effects in altering juvenile court procedure and
philosophy. The result was a movement away from its parens
patriae origins toward procedures that more closely resemble those
of criminal courts.
• The debate over the future of the court and its proper role has yet
to be resolved. This unit also explores the importance of effective
police work with juveniles, arrest procedures, and prevention
programs. Police officers play an important role in the control and
prevention of delinquency as they are the primary means whereby
youths are brought into the juvenile justice system.
Chapter 11: The History and
Development of Juvenile Justice
• The first juvenile court was established in 1899. From
then until the mid-1960s, juvenile courts exercised the
authority and enforcement power granted to them, but
placed little emphasis on the legal rights of the
accused. The assurances of due process characteristic
of adult criminal proceedings were frequently absent,
as "treatment" became the center of court philosophy.
The private nature of the hearings also made it
possible for judges to exercise a broad range of
discretion in dispositions, and hear testimony without
having its admissibility or legality questioned.
Chapter 11: The History and
Development of Juvenile Justice
• During the civil rights era in the 1960s and early 1970s, the juvenile
court process was scrutinized in several important matters brought
before the U.S. Supreme Court. The decisions of the Court in these
cases had far-reaching effects in altering juvenile court procedure
and philosophy. The juvenile court has moved away from its parens
patriae origins toward procedures that more closely resemble those
of criminal courts.
• Critics of the juvenile court maintain that many serious offenders
are given dispositions of treatment or supervision when immediate
and just punishment is a better solution. Others feel the court has
been ineffective in making any real changes in the youth referred
there and should be completely abolished. The debate over the
future of the court and its proper role has yet to be resolved.
Chapter 12: Police Work with
Juveniles
• Police officers play an important role in the
control and prevention of delinquency. Due to
the wide variety of police encounters with
minors, officers must have a thorough
knowledge of the law, especially the
constitutional protections provided to
juveniles.
Chapter 12: Police Work with
Juveniles
• Police officers are the primary means whereby youths are brought
into the juvenile justice system. The decision on disposition is based
on the seriousness of the offense; the offender's age, appearance,
and attitude; the area in which the offense occurs; and the child's
home situation and previous record. In addition, researchers have
found that the background and training of the officers themselves
affect the types of dispositions received.
• Some experts have urged police officers to become more actively
involved in preventing delinquency through creative solutions to
juvenile problems. Through community policing, officers can play
important roles simply by being present in places or situations
where juvenile misbehavior might occur, or through providing
special programs or positive experiences for young people.
Key Terminology
• Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention
Office of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention
• “OJJDP, a component of the Office of Justice
Programs, U.S. Department of Justice,
accomplishes its mission by supporting states,
local communities, and tribal jurisdictions in their
efforts to develop and implement effective
programs for juveniles. The Office strives to
strengthen the juvenile justice system's efforts to
protect public safety, hold offenders accountable,
and provide services that address the needs of
youth and their families.”
• http://ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/about/about.html
Key Terminology
• Drug Court
Drug Court
“Juvenile drug courts are intensive treatment
programs established within and supervised by
juvenile courts to provides specialized services for
eligible drug involved youth and their families.
Cases are assigned to a juvenile drug court
docket based on criteria set by local officials to
carry out the goals of the drug court program.”
http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/184744.pdf
Key Terminology
• Community Policing
Community Policing
• Link Broken
• Problem Solving
The process of engaging in the proactive and systematic
examination of identified problems to develop and rigorously
evaluate effective responses.
• Scanning: Identifying and prioritizing problems
• Analysis: Researching what is known about the problem
• Response: Developing solutions to bring about lasting reductions in
the number and extent of problems
• Assessment: Evaluating the success of the responses
• Using the crime triangle to focus on immediate
conditions (victim/offender/location)
http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/default.asp?item=36
Key Terminology
• Problem - Orientated Policing
Problem - Orientated Policing
• “Problem-oriented policing is an approach to policing
in which discrete pieces of police business (each
consisting of a cluster of similar incidents, whether
crime or acts of disorder, that the police are expected
to handle) are subject to microscopic examination
(drawing on the especially honed skills of crime
analysts and the accumulated experience of operating
field personnel) in hopes that what is freshly learned
about each problem will lead to discovering a new and
more effective strategy for dealing with it.”
• http://www.popcenter.org/about-whatisPOP.htm
5 Minute Question
• There are multiple similarities and differences
between the adult criminal justice system and
the juvenile justice system. Do you feel that
there are still enough significant differences
and a pressing social need to justify having a
separate juvenile system?
5 Minute Question
• What is it meant by police discretion. What
factors affect the discretion of the police when
dealing with juvenile offenders? What are the
legal procedures they must abide by during
custodial interrogations and the lawful arrests
of juveniles?