Juvenile Justice System Research Paper

Some juvenile delinquents are being treated like adults and being sent to adult prisons instead of juvenile prisons. In an article called “ADULT PRISONS: No Place for Kids,” by Steven J. Smith, Smith presents an argument against treating juveniles like adults. His argument states that minors shouldn’t be trialed and placed into adult prisons because instead of being rehabilitated, they typically come out worse because of the daily exposure to already hardened criminals. Smith provides reasons why juveniles are convicted as adults, the drawbacks of placing adolescents in prisons with adults, and an alternative punishment for juvenile criminals.

Juvenile Justice Centers are secure prisons or jails for minors under the age of 18. Many say they do not help and potentially lead to a more damaged teen who was better before getting in there, but is this really the case? Some of these facilities have great programs that can teach these minors how to act and have a good character when they get out. Juvenile Justice Centers are beneficial to the inmates because they can teach important character traits and sets the inmates up for a future most thought were not reachable in the first place.

Criminal justice within the United States of America has in recent times been receiving heavy amounts of flack due to the unsettled case of whether or not it is just to sentence children convicted of major felonies to life without parole in state prisons. In the current state of criminal justice concerning minors, children as young as thirteen years of age are deemed eligible to be sentenced to life in prison without parole. According to The American Civil Liberties Union, an estimated 2,570 children between the ages of thirteen to seventeen are currently serving time in federal or state prisons with adults as a result of this policy. Much concern and weariness has arisen from this policy with many arguing that children of the ages of thirteen

The original purpose of the court was to separate juvenile offenders from adult offenders, to provide opportunities for rehabilitation and treatment, to create a more informal setting in which to resolve criminal behavior by children, and to limit the consequences of children’s criminal conduct

There are currently two programs specifically in Henderson County which I am writing this paper about. One of the programs is the local Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County and the D.A.R.E. Program of Henderson County. I decided to write about local programs because it would give me the opportunity to learn more about juvenile delinquency prevention programs within my own community. Both programs are a huge staple within Henderson County and are two of the most important juvenile delinquency prevention programs within Henderson County.

Did you know, that in the United States alone, Over 200,000 children are charged and imprisoned every year as adults? Early in the 20th century, most states established juvenile courts to rehabilitate and not just punish youthful offenders. The system was designed for children to have a second chance at their lives. “A separate juvenile-justice system, which sought to rehabilitate and not just punish children, was part of a movement by progressives to create a legally defined adolescence through the passage of child-labor and compulsory education laws and the creation of parks and open spaces.”(How to reduce crime Pg 1) Although the view on juveniles committing brutal crimes is nearly inconceivable, it is not a solution to give juveniles adult consequences because the effects of the adult system on juveniles are not effective.

Are juvenile justice centers are beneficial for troubled teens? Well I agree that juvenile justice centers are beneficial for troubled teens for many reasons, here's a couple .First,teens are young adults and they are suppose to make mistakes so that they can learn from them. Secondly, some teens don't have parents to show them what is good and what is bad. lastly, our teens are the future of this word so we need to get them ready. Let me break it down a little more for you. First thing's first, Teens are young adults and they are suppose to make mistakes so that they can learn

This paper examines the effectiveness of the American justice system surrounding juvenile offenders not yet responsible for their punishable acts. Although the purpose of the juvenile justice system is the rehabilitate and deter juvenile offenders from breaking laws, evidence suggests the justice system is ineffective and unjust. The sentencing of juveniles is unjust and ineffective because juveniles are not mentally developed enough to make rational decisions, incarcerating juveniles is costly, and youth incarceration does not discourage youth from committing more crimes, and the incarceration of juveniles often results in mental and physical abuse of the youth.

If a fourteen-year old child murders another person should they be tried in an adult court with the possibility of a life in prison without parole? According to a Gallup Poll conducted in 2003, 59% of people surveyed that they support harsher sentences for serious crimes committed by a minor. The juvenile courts can be traced back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a way to prevent the children of a growing immigrant population from falling victim to a life of crime. Despite the original intentions of the juvenile system, the recidivism rate for minors continues to rise at an alarming rate meaning that convicted youth are trapped in a viscous cycle of incarceration that never allows them to grow and prosper. This paper discusses the foundation and intention of the juvenile court system as well as focusing on three issue areas that are complicating the court system: the advancement of neurological studies such as Laurence Steinberg’s, A Social Neuroscience Perspective on Adolescent Risk-Taking, a lack of proper education and resources necessary to teach the incarcerated youth causing them to fall behind those who have attended a normal school, and an ineffective or complete lack of a rehabilitation plan for convicted juveniles. Finally, this paper discusses the Supreme Court case of Miller v. Alabama (2012) that rendered a 5-4 decision that declared charging a minor life in prison without parole unconstitutional.

For awhile now I have felt the call to serve children in a unique way. The more I prayed about God’s calling the more he directed me to the criminal justice field. As I did my research I came to realize that the juvenile justice system was where God wanted me. As a freshman in college I decided to pursue a degree in criminal justice. However, this evolved into a double major in criminal justice and psychology. I have chosen to make this calling my profession. There are many ways I hope to impact the lives of juveniles, as well as the system itself. Due to the tough on crime era, some children are been transferred into the adult court one non–homicidal cases. Some have been tried as an adult for drug offense. I firmly believe this jeopardizes

Being put within a system at a young age will lead them to more and dangerous lives to live. Juvenile justice laws varies in the United States. My paper is to discuss the difference in jurisdictions among these three states, Maryland, New York and South Carolina. Where the ages vary of a juvenile offender can be prosecuted as an adult between the ages 15-17. The State of MD, average youth offender age is 17 years old. All court cases involving youth excluded from the jurisdiction of the juvenile court based on age and offense criteria at the time of arrest. So this means if this your first time the courts may take all of that into consideration.

The Department of Juvenile Justice has many responsibilities inside a secure facility and intake is considering a critical area. While working in intake there is no room for error. A simple mistake can cause a new identity to youth or even a youth being released that should not. You should be alert and very detailed while working in the intake

One may argue that if juveniles are to commit an adult crime, they should be punished as an adult. Defensively, there are many reasons why they are mistaken. The juvenile justice system has the right to keep an adjudicated delinquent imprisoned until their 21st birthday. This punishment is just for those in juvenile prisons. “It is certainly long enough to serve the needs of public protection, and enough time to rehabilitate a child. Indeed, studies routinely show that in these cases, the juvenile justice system protects the public better than the criminal justice system” (Schwartz). Likewise, the opposing side may also believe a juvenile who commits a felony should be punished as an adult. This statement is wrong juveniles brains are not fully

Imagine sitting in a courtroom, hoping the the judge will not give a harsh sentence. Unfortunately, that’s the case for many juveniles, some as young as 13! A juvenile is subject to a more severe sentence with the limited sentencing available. It is estimated that 250,000 youth are prosecuted as adults, each year. This number should change, as juveniles are not adults, both mentally and physically. Juveniles need an environment surrounded with guiding adults, education and the resources to help them. A juvenile is not an adult, and should not be tried as one.

For over a hundred years, our country believed that the juvenile justice system would serve as a bridge to acquire the long lost appropriate justice intended to deal with the heinous crimes that people, under a specific range of ages, have committed in the sense of bringing along the possibility that the given have not endeavored these deeds. The system believes that these people are not entirely blamable for there are factors that are not in the realm of their control, which in the worst case scenario, have led them to their unbecoming. Thus, the system believes that, under several steps and procedures, rehabilitation and in due time, rooms for possible changes are at great odds.