Elizabeth Scott and Laurence Steinberg explore the dramatic changes in the law's conception of young offenders between the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twenty-first. At the dawn of the juvenile court era, they note, most youths were tried and punished as if they were adults. Early juvenile court reformers argued strongly…

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)

Curfew laws have been instituted in cities across the United States in an attempt to control the rise in juvenile crime. Discusses the advantages and disadvantages of a curfew law for Baltimore City based on interviews with city officials and concludes that the law in its present form will not bring about any significant change in the rate of…

This document contains several essays on topics of interest to researchers of rehabilitative efforts. The subjects covered include an historical look at chronic delinquents and their treatment programs; a review of West European programs; legal constraints on intervention; a review of evidence concerning biological contributions to criminality and…

Presents descriptive data on a 5-year cohort of 20 adolescent murderers from England and Wales, and provides an outline of their pathway through the criminal justice system together with a framework for their ongoing individual therapy. Suggests refinement of categories of juvenile homicide and increased information sharing among professionals.…

This booklet reports the deliberations of a panel of 37 judges, prosecutors, and researchers who attended a national conference to consider dealing with repeat juvenile offenders. The five conference sessions focus on: (1) Assessing the Problem: Offense and Offender Characteristics; (2) Processing Offenders: An Empirical Review of Current…

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the trajectory of cases through four systems: child protection, law enforcement, the dependency courts, and the criminal courts. Method: This study focused on a county selected from a 41-county telephone survey conducted for the National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect (NIS-3). For this…

This annotated bibliography highlights the literature available on two important aspects of assistance to victims and witnesses of crime. The first section, victim and witness services, covers the need, function and implementation of services to assist victims, elements of effective programs and evaluation of specific programs. The second section,…

Argues that the perception of increasing youth violence is based on fiction rather than fact. Provides the facts involved in the juvenile justice policy focusing on the differences between juvenile and adult violence, youth violence trends, population trends, and three legal policy issues toward adolescent violence. Offers juvenile crime…

The purpose of this guidebook is to give Minnesota legislators an overview of all laws affecting young people in order to have a reference aid on current state policies toward youth. State statutes and cases that provide rights, responsibilities, and protections for young people under age 18 are described. Part 1 of this guide, "The…

Discusses whether juveniles who commit criminal law violations should be tried in the same courts as adults. Addresses the issue of transfers that is a legal mechanism used to move youth to criminal court. Considers alternative proposals for handling youth brought to the judicial system and the role of the federal government. (CMK)

The accelerating growth of restitution as an institutionalized program in juvenile courts throughout the country is documented. According to studies, the number of formal restitution programs has increased from approximately 15 in 1977 to more than 400 in 1989. Program components include financial restitution, community service, victim-offender…

A study of the criminal justice system in New York City led to the publication in December 1982 of "A Guide to Our Criminal Justice System." A portion of the guide dealt with the steps involved in the arrest to disposition of a juvenile. On July 1, 1983, the New York State Legislature's Act to "Recodify the Family Court Act"…

This resource guide describes one state's statutes and cases so as to profile those rights, responsibilities, and protections for young people which are different from those applicable to adults. The purpose of this guidebook is to give legislators an overview of all laws affecting young people in order to have a reference aid on current state…

These instructional materials involve secondary students in simulating a criminal trial concerning teenage drinking. Included are all materials necessary for participation in the 1984 California Mock Trial Competition. Part I of the document describes a hypothetical situation involving a high school senior who faces state felony charges for…