Chapter 16: Juvenile Justice
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Transcript Chapter 16: Juvenile Justice
Developed in the mid
1800’s
Parens patriae:
“parent of the
country”, the court
assumes the role of the
parent for children who
cannot take care of
themselves
YOU
ARE….well…only those of you
under 18…
What
are the goals of the criminal justice
system?
Which one do you think is applied to
juveniles? Retribution, Deterrence,
Revenge, or Rehabilitation?
In
OH anyone under the age of 18 is a
juvenile to the court system.
Juveniles charged with a serious felony
can be charged as an adult. (transfer
hearing)
• The judge considers: the juvenile’s age and past
record, the seriousness of the crime, the
likelihood that the juvenile would be
rehabilitated
Delinquent
Offenders: youths who
have committed acts
that would be crimes if
committed by adults
Status Offenders:
youths who have
committed acts that
would not be crimes if
committed by adults
(skipping school,
violating curfew)
Neglected/Abused
Children: needs the
court’s protection from a parent or
guardian
• Should the child remain with the family?
• Taken into account when looking at the case of a
Juvenile
Parental
Responsibility Laws: parents
can be held responsible for crimes
committed by their child
Contributing to the Delinquency of a
Minor: the act, by an adult, of aiding or
encouraging illegal or improper conduct
of a juvenile
Ex: behavior
is beyond control, truant
from school, habitually disobedient
• Usually emotionally troubled, runaways, drug
problems, in abusive situations
Because
of problems at home, parents
may file a PINS (Person In Need of
Supervision) petition. (can be retracted
and replaced by a neglect petition
against the parents)
In
Re Gault: juveniles should receive
many of the same due process rights as
adults
• Notification of charges against them
• Right to an attorney
• Right to confront and cross examine witnesses
• The right to remain silent
McKeiver
v. Pennsylvania: jury trials
were not required for juvenile cases due
to privacy rights of the juveniles
Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention Act of 1974: required the
juvenile court system to change the way
it treats offenders.
• Develop community alternatives to incarceration
Taking
Into Custody: can be
arrested or taken into custody for
status offenses
• No Bail!
Minor-Released
Serious-Detained
Intake: process
that helps officials
decided if a juvenile should be
referred to the court system, includes
interview and consideration of
previous record, family situation, and
other factors
1/3
of all complaints in the juvenile
system are dismissed or diverted to
other programs.
• Ex: rehabilitation, law classes, community
service
Initial
Hearing: the state must prove the
offense was committed and there is
reasonable cause to believe the youth
committed the crime
• The state will only further detain the juvenile if
they are a danger to themselves or others, may
run away, or have a previous record
(Preventative Detention)
• The court can assign a public defender
• Time and date is set for hearing
Adjudicatory
Hearing: Looks at the facts
of the case. (Closed to public)
• Can question and cross examine witnesses
• Prosecution has to prove guilt beyond a
reasonable doubt
• Judge determines guilt or innocence
Dispositional
Hearing: the judge
decides the sentence or disposition the
juvenile should receive
• The court’s goal is to rehabilitate the offender!
• Alternatives include probation, placement in a
group home, or state institution
Probation
is the most common
disposition!
• Ex: attend school, hold a job, attend counseling,
weekly drug tests, curfew, stay away from certain
people/groups, meet with probation officer
• If probation conditions are not met, the juvenile
can go back to court and be sentenced to a
group home or institution
For
serious offenses, the juvenile will be
sentenced to an institution for indefinite
period of time. Release is determine by
the institution, but it is usually 1-3 years
but can last until the juvenile is an adult.
Main
Problem: Overcrowding!
Additional
Problems Include:
• Overrepresentation of Minorities
• Safety and security of facilities
• Health care
• Abuse of juveniles
Aftercare:
like parole in the adult
system, usually involved supervision by a
parole officer
In
OH, a juvenile can request to have
their record sealed when they turn 18
(but it will cost them $)
After their juvenile record has been
expunged, there will no longer be a
public record of their involvement with
the justice system.