The impact of alternative programs for juveniles within the juvenile justice court system was not well understood. Studies such as research from the Annie E. Casey Foundation identified juvenile diversion approaches as an effective method of reducing recidivism in juvenile courts. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to seek…

Juvenile Rehabilitation (JR) became part of Washington State's Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) on July 1, 2019. JR serves the state's highest-risk youth who have been charged with a qualifying offense and either adjudicated in a county's juvenile court or convicted in an adult criminal court. In 2000, JR needed to further define…

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate African American youth's inability to access internet and computer technology while in a court-ordered probation diversion program. Specifically, honing in on the youth engagement related to personal growth, motivation, and cognitive skills. This paper selected administrative officials…

Adolescents becoming formally involved with a juvenile court because of school-related behavior and discipline problems is a phenomenon known as the school-to-prison pipeline. Adolescents with learning disabilities are disproportionately represented within this pipeline. A study was conducted to review the outcomes for a population of youthful…

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

One approach to handling juvenile offenders is the diversion of youth away from formal contact with the juvenile justice system. A diversion program implemented in Adams County, Colorado, is described here. Objectives were to reduce court caseloads, lower recidivism rates, lessen the net of social control, and permit rigorous evaluation. (GC)

This article describes the use of youth courts, or teen courts, a growing trend in juvenile justice. Youth courts are generally used for younger teens with no prior arrest records, and those charged with less serious violations, like shoplifting, vandalism, and disorderly conduct. The goal is to hold young people accountable for their actions with…

Our system of justice does not equitably handle the problems connected with a retarded juvenile accused of a crime. (DM)

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…

In commemoration of the juvenile court's centennial, the Justice Policy Institute of the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice and the Children and Family Justice Center of Northwestern University School of Law profiled 25 individuals who were petitioned into juvenile court as serious delinquents when they were young and then turned their lives…

Presents the results of a longitudinal experiment focused on the relative efficacy of varying treatments for juvenile offenders (N=213). All treatment conditions involving a specific intervention model located outside the formal juvenile justice system produced lower recidivism rates than the attention-placebo, treatment-as-usual control, or…

Guidelines for the general development and implementation of accountability-based approaches for juvenile drug offenders are presented in this monograph. These topics are discussed: (1) the accountability approach; (2) the relevance of the accountability approach to drug offenders and its relationship to drug abuse treatment; (3) surveys of chief…

Family intervention is shifting from an informal alternative in treatment of juvenile offenders to a formal adjudicatory option. The politically expedient move was not based on conclusive empirical data. Without evaluation of family intervention strategies, such strategies are likely to proliferate with little control over possible unfortunate…

Sounds a strong warning about the destructive political process of using delinquent youth as scapegoats and then giving up on them. Claims that many young, redeemable offenders are being discarded in adult prisons, a process opposed by most professionals. Argues that dismantling the juvenile justice system will increase criminal behavior. (RJM)

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…