Future of the Juvenile Justice System

Essay by cheapwellsUniversity, Bachelor'sA, September 2008

download word file, 8 pages 3.0

Even with all the money and effort spent on the adult justice system the recidivism rate is astonishing. When we hear old sayings like "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" or "you have to nip the problem in the bud" or "if you don't want a rotten apple, don't go to the barrel go to the tree", do we realize the effect these concepts could have on the crime? If we realize it's difficult to teach old offenders new behaviors and actually focus our efforts on "nipping the problem in the bud" or attempt to save the apple from spoiling while it's still young and on the tree, we will be able to positively affect crime in the juvenile and adult justice systems.

The Juvenile Justice SystemJuvenile justice first received help in the Supreme Court in the 1960's in a case called Kent v. United States; this case started the due process for juveniles.

The Supreme Court stated that "…the informal process of determining whether a juvenile should be tried in juvenile or in adult court failed to provide sufficient due process protection for children. The Court held that before a minor is transferred to adult court the child is entitled to an informal hearing where the trial court must articulate the reasons for the transfer so that the child can have an adequate record for appellate review." (www.answers.com) One year later in 1967 the Court heard another case In Re Gault "…the Court determined that juveniles must at least receive alternative equivalents. Thus, in a juvenile delinquency trial, children are entitled to: (1) notice of the charges, (2) a right to counsel, (3) a right to confrontation and cross-examination, and (4) a privilege against self-incrimination."(www.answers.com) The history from that point on has been slowly moving to giving...