Multiple, intersecting factors contribute to the over-representation of youth of color, including Black girls, in the juvenile justice system, and specifically, in confinement. This study examined the self-identified, educational experiences of Northern California Black girls in confinement. This phenomenological study found that Black girls in…

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…

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…

Giroux (2003) indicated that the prison industry has become a major economic industry with many states spending more money on prison reforms than on educational reforms. Juvenile delinquent behavior should be punished but fair treatment and equal rights for all human beings under the rule of law is paramount to punishment. Casella (2001) indicated…

School administrators, educators, psychologists, social workers, the juvenile courts, institutional reformers, and others shape the manner in which children are labeled, portrayed, and treated. However, the agendas, motivations, political language, and influence of these "helping professionals" in "treating" and…

Youth with emotional and behavioral (E/BD) and other disorders, who in many cases have not received needed interventions and supports in school, are overrepresented in the juvenile justice system. This article considers how parents of youth with E/BDs can become more involved in the process when their child is referred to juvenile court, thereby…

An address given July 12, 1971 to the National Council of Juvenile Court Judges. (Author)

In the wake of a U.S. Justice Department investigation that found widespread use of excessive force by staff at upstate psychiatric care facilities for mentally ill children, this new edition of Child Welfare Watch identifies shortcomings in mental health services and explores possible solutions, including the expansion of alternatives to…

This document presents the final report and recommendations of a task force created to study the feasibility of further reducing juvenile training school populations in Oregon. The first section contains an executive summary which briefly reviews the history of Oregon's juvenile justice system and lists findings and recommendations of the task…

This issue of "The Link" newsletter contains the following articles: (1) Convention on the Rights of the Child and Juvenile Justice (Jenni Gainborough and Elisabeth Lean); and (2) ABA (American Bar Association) Policy and Report on Crossover and Dual Jurisdiction Youth. Director's Message, Policy Update information and News/Resources are…

Discusses the implications of several recent court decisions which seem to establish at least the principle of minimum standards of treatment for juveniles who have been involuntarily committed to institutions. (EH)

Following an analysis of the major forces for institutional change confronting the juvenile courts, and a review of recent federal and state responses likely to promote further modifications in the present system, the author discusses a modified system capable of accommodating demands for basic alterations of juvenile justice. (Author)

Laurie Chassin focuses on the elevated prevalence of substance use disorders among young offenders in the juvenile justice system and on efforts by the justice system to provide treatment for these disorders. She emphasizes the importance of diagnosing and treating these disorders, which are linked both with continued offending and with a broad…

The most comprehensive nationwide research ever conducted on the juvenile detention and corrections field was a study by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) assessing conditions of confinement for juveniles and determining the extent to which those conditions conform to recognized national professional standards. The…