The differential response to childhood criminality is an established legal principle. Setting the operational legal boundaries between children, youth, and adults is complicated and contentious. It has been so for centuries. It is easy to agree that a specialized juvenile court is the proper forum for handling cases involving law violations by young people, but where exactly should states draw the line between juvenile and adult status? Continue reading Line Drawing
Jeffrey Butts, Guest Columnist April 20, 2012 – The state of Florida transfers far more juvenile offenders to the criminal (adult) court system than any other state in the nation. In this sense at least, Florida can rightly claim to be No. 1. Florida’s population is roughly half that of California’s, but it transfers youths to adult criminal court at a rate that is eight times … Continue reading Orlando Sentinel
Butts, Jeffrey A. (2012). Less Serious Offenses Account for 90 Percent of the Growth in Juvenile Placements. Research and Evaluation Data Bits [2012-08]. New York, NY: Research and Evaluation Center, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York. Juvenile court cases involving charges of obstruction of justice, simple assault, drug law violations, vandalism, and disorderly conduct combined accounted for 48,200 new placement cases in … Continue reading Less Serious Offenses Account for 90 Percent of the Growth in Juvenile Placements
Youth Courts and the Value of a Jury of Their Peers October 27, 2011 — Research shows that young people who participate in youth court or teen court programs may have lower rates of recidivism. Adults involved in the programs attribute much of their success to the influence of positive peer pressure and the value of giving young people a voice in the process. Joining Radio … Continue reading WHYY Philadelphia
Where Teens Find the Jury Isn’t Rigged By Tina Rosenberg – October 18, 2011. …There is evidence, however, that youth courts do more than simply divert teens from juvenile justice: they actively create pro-social behavior. The Urban Institute study found a clue: the courts that give the most autonomy to the teens themselves work best. It helps if defendants see their peers as speaking for … Continue reading New York Times – Opinionator
Butts, Jeffrey A., John K. Roman, and Jennifer Lynn-Whaley (2011). Varieties of Juvenile Court: Nonspecialized Courts, Teen Courts, Drug Courts, and Mental Health Courts, in The Oxford Handbook of Juvenile Crime and Juvenile Justice, Barry C. Feld and Donna M. Bishop (Editors). New York: Oxford University Press. This chapter addresses the growing use of specialized, problem-solving courts for delinquent juveniles. After introducing the specialized nature … Continue reading Varieties of Juvenile Court…
