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…

Schools' ability to manage student misbehavior rests largely on students' perceptions of the discipline system and authority. According to the procedural justice perspective, when schools use discipline practices students perceive as unfair, they fail to see authority as legitimate, making them less likely to comply with rules and demand. Youth…

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…

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…

This report describes the complex system charged with making societal interventions and dispositional decisions designed to intervene successfully with Indiana's most wayward youth. It begins with a summary of national statistics and trends, noting that, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Reports, in 1990 the United…

Describes an instructional rehabilitation program that targets hard-core male delinquents. Run by the Boys Clubs of Miami, in conjunction with the Circuit Court's Juvenile Division, the program presently serves 120 youngsters at a third of the cost of the state training schools. (MD)

This document presents witnesses' testimonies and prepared statements from the first of a series of Congressional hearings on the reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act. Opening remarks are included from Representatives Dale Kildee, Augustus Hawkins, Thomas Tauke, and Thomas Sawyer. Issues are raised about the jail…

Describes a study that investigated the bases of juvenile pretrial detention decisions and the effects of detention status on subsequent court decisions in Florida. Reports that the detention decision was largely based on determinants predictive of further law violations and those suggesting judicial discrimination or arbitrariness. Concludes that…

Article contains excerpts of remarks made by a family court judge in Michigan upon sentencing a 13-year-old male for a murder he committed at age 11. Testimonies state that the adult prison system is not designed for youth, and has few treatment alternatives for them. A commitment to prevent future criminal behavior in youth will take collective…

Considers the contributions that psychology has made to the juvenile justice system in the areas of theory, research, practice, and public policy. Calls for the increasing involvement of psychologists in order to enhance the well-being of children and youth. (Author/GC)

Describes Improving Academic Achievement through Success (IMPAACTS), a program designed to assist those first-time juvenile offenders who are participating in a deferred prosecution program to improve their academic achievement. Discusses the goals, procedures and future of the program. (Author/BH)

This "Voices of Pioneers" section of the journal highlights the work of Jane Addams, who founded the settlement house movement in America with the establishment of Hull House in Chicago in 1899. Presents excerpts from Addams' book "The Spirit of Youth and the City Streets (1909)" to illustrate her views on guns, stealing,…

The National Center for Juvenile Justice (NCJJ) analyzed records in the Center's National Juvenile Court Data Archive to examine how the juvenile courts handled runaway cases. NCJJ examined 40,000 records of runaway cases processed between 1985 and 1986 in 611 jurisdictions from 12 states representing about one-quarter of the U.S. youth population…

Comparative research in juvenile delinquency provides criminal justice professionals with a mechanism for better decision-making. This study analyzed juvenile probationer arraignments and the offender risk/need classification assessment to better understand juvenile court careers and probation recidivism. Analyses were based on data generated by…