Juveniles in the U.S. Justice System
Juveniles in the U.S. Justice System
By
Y. Kornegay
Juveniles in the Justice System The court system for juveniles in the United States was first formed in 1899, in Cook County, Illinois, which then was quickly spread across the country and most other state courts decided to establish one as well, that then in turn created the juvenile justice system. With the purpose of rehabilitating each underage offender in order for them to become a productive part of society and also to protect them by having them separated from any type of exposure to adult offenders and mentally ill adult offenders that were incarcerated as well. Before 1899 juvenile offenders were being housed with adult offenders and the mentally ill adult offenders before and after sentencing. This of course was not suitable, due to the obvious, which was that offenders under the age of 18 should not be housed with adult offenders or mentally ill adult offenders. By the 1950s and 1960s public concern grew about the effectiveness of the juvenile justice system, because of the disparities in treatment that resulted from the absolute discretion of juvenile court judges. Similarly situated youths could receive vastly different sentences based on the mood, temperament, or personal philosophy of individual judges. In the 1960s, the Supreme Court made a series of decisions that formalized the juvenile courts and introduce more due process protections such as right to counsel. Formal hearings were required in situations where youth faced transfer to adult court and or a period of long-term institutional confinement. In the late 1980s the public perceived that juvenile crime was on the rise and that the system was too lenient. Many states passed punitive laws, including mandatory sentences and automatic adult court transfer for certain crimes. In the 1990s this tough on crime trend accelerated.
By
Y. Kornegay
Juveniles in the Justice System The court system for juveniles in the United States was first formed in 1899, in Cook County, Illinois, which then was quickly spread across the country and most other state courts decided to establish one as well, that then in turn created the juvenile justice system. With the purpose of rehabilitating each underage offender in order for them to become a productive part of society and also to protect them by having them separated from any type of exposure to adult offenders and mentally ill adult offenders that were incarcerated as well. Before 1899 juvenile offenders were being housed with adult offenders and the mentally ill adult offenders before and after sentencing. This of course was not suitable, due to the obvious, which was that offenders under the age of 18 should not be housed with adult offenders or mentally ill adult offenders. By the 1950s and 1960s public concern grew about the effectiveness of the juvenile justice system, because of the disparities in treatment that resulted from the absolute discretion of juvenile court judges. Similarly situated youths could receive vastly different sentences based on the mood, temperament, or personal philosophy of individual judges. In the 1960s, the Supreme Court made a series of decisions that formalized the juvenile courts and introduce more due process protections such as right to counsel. Formal hearings were required in situations where youth faced transfer to adult court and or a period of long-term institutional confinement. In the late 1980s the public perceived that juvenile crime was on the rise and that the system was too lenient. Many states passed punitive laws, including mandatory sentences and automatic adult court transfer for certain crimes. In the 1990s this tough on crime trend accelerated.