Youth with disabilities are overrepresented in the juvenile justice system, but few studies have investigated the mechanisms by which this occurs. In this study, we considered how juvenile court adjudication and length of commitment in secure facilities contributed to disproportionality in court involvement and detention, addressing an important…

This brief report presents preliminary data on the attitudes of judges on the sentencing of offenders with High Functioning Autism (HFA). Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with twenty-one California Superior Court Judges. Interviews were qualitatively coded and constant comparative analysis was utilized. Findings revealed that…

This article focuses on the concept of belonging as an embodied practice that is expressed by adolescents in multimodal ways and that can be nurtured inside and also beyond schools, such as within afterschool programs. We explore belonging in an afterschool program designed for court-involved youth. Our research is theoretically framed by…

In "Roper v. Simmons," the U.S. Supreme Court determined that the sentencing of juveniles to death violated the constitutional amendment against cruel and unusual punishment. Similarly, the Court most recently decided that life without parole for non-homicide offenses is also unconstitutional ("Graham v. Florida," 2010). Part of the reason for the…

Although research has examined the effectiveness of juvenile transfer on recidivism, there has been a lack of research done in assessing how well juvenile waiver to adult court meets the criteria necessary for deterrence to occur (i.e., certainty, severity, and swiftness of punishment). The purpose of this study is to assess how well juvenile…

Research suggests that child maltreatment predicts juvenile violence, but it is uncertain whether the effects of victimization persist into adulthood or differ across gender. Furthermore, we know little about the mechanisms underlying the victim-perpetrator cycle for males and females. Consequently, this study analyzed associations between child…

Dramatic changes in juvenile justice have occurred in recent decades. One result has been the emergence of new policies and practices, many of which remain largely unexamined. One avenue for gaining insight into whether such policies and practices are needed or effective, as well as into how the juvenile justice system might be improved, is to tap…

Juvenile delinquency in the United States has been a persistent concern for decades. Consequently, because more juveniles have been referred to juvenile court and the arrest rate of preteen offenders has increased to almost three times that of older youth, the persistent and often controversial issue of the capacity of juvenile offenders to waive…

Every year, juvenile court judges commit large numbers of delinquent youths to institutional placements. Prior research indicates that both legal and extra-legal factors influence this decision-making process. Less frequently examined is the role of treatment needs and prior social services use. This study examined the influence of treatment needs…

This issue of "Legislative Review" takes a look at the news in higher education from February 7 to 11, 2011. This Legislative Review reports that: (1) Carried over from February 2, House Education heard testimony on HB 1444 and HB 1445 February 7 and recommended "do not pass" on both bills February 8; (2) SB 2300, a bill to…

Discussed is how the transfer of young offenders from the supposedly more benign juvenile court to the more punitive world of the adult criminal court is becoming the focus of renewed attention. (RM)

Summarizes the general law applicable to children, beginning with a statement of the underlying concept which culminated in separate court systems for juveniles in the United States. Encourages solicitation of judicial and professional enlightenment to appraise minors, parents, teachers, and administrators of their legal rights and obligations.…

The reports included in this publication (volume seven in a series of nine) reflect a variety of views on and approaches to major questions in the juvenile justice field. It contains chapters on court rules, pre-trial detention, conditions of release, plea bargaining, rules of evidence, etc. In addition, there is a section concerning special…

The Gault mandate of the right to defense counsel has led to greater prosecution representation of the community interest at adjudicatory hearings. State legislatures, responding to public concerns regarding juvenile crime, are rapidly placing prosecutors in decisional roles at juvenile intake. (Author)

Describes the arguments of those supporting removal of the juvenile status offender from court jurisdiction, as well as the case presented by defenders of the system for retaining court jurisdiction over status offenders. (CM)