The juvenile justice system is complicated and can seem overwhelming. This handbook is designed to give some basic information to youths as well as parents, grandparents, foster parents, guardians, and other family members or friends of children who have been or may be in trouble with the law. This handbook is written to defendants in juvenile…

Using as variables marital status of offenders' parents, seriousness of offense, number and classification of prior and concurrent offenses, and delinquency rate in offenders' neighborhoods, a study revealed racial bias contributed to differential handling in two-thirds of the dispositions of juvenile cases in one court. (JB)

Examines restitution as a promising, logical, and effective means of achieving the dual goals of deterrance and punishment. Surveys suggested strong support for juvenile restitution. Data showed that the most common form of restitution is money payments; however, there remains much disagreement as to the amount of restitution required. (JAC)

Although juvenile crime rates have not changed significantly in the last five years, the juvenile courts' ability to handle crime has deteriorated. To treat the problem of juvenile crime effectively requires intervention at the earliest sign of delinquency and an assessment of the juvenile courts and school system. (AM)

The Juvenile Justice Standards developed by the Institute of Judicial Administration and the American Bar Association reflect a trend away from the therapeutic aspect of the juvenile court and toward due process for juveniles accused of delinquent offenses. (Author/MJL)

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)

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)

Examined surveys, court records, and anecdotal information of former adjudicated delinquents (n=273) to determine effects of juvenile justice intervention on outcome; specifically, whether delinquent labeling initiated a self-fulfilling prophecy. Found no significant relationship between juvenile probation experience rating and adult recidivism.…

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,…

Compares the recidivism of 2,738 juveniles who were transferred to criminal court in Florida in 1987 to that of a matched sample retained in the juvenile system. By every measure of recidivism employed, including rates of reoffending, seriousness of reoffending, and time to failure, reoffending was greater among transfers than the matched…

Objective: To estimate the 6-month prevalence of multiple substance use disorders (SUDs) among juvenile detainees by demographic subgroups (sex, race/ethnicity, age). Method: Participants were a randomly selected sample of 1,829 African American, non-Hispanic white, and Hispanic detainees (1,172 males, 657 females, aged 10 to 18). Patterns and…

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 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…