The Juvenile Justice System In The 1800's

The juvenile justice system is a separate legal framework making a difference in how youth offenders are judged and “punished”, but this way is only a recent concept. Back in the 1800's there was some sort of system set in place to punish those who committed crimes. In those years of English rule there were workhouses where adults who broke the law would be sent to to manufacture goods that would later be sold to the public. This method was then used for people who owed money, they would be incarcerated until their debts were paid off. In the end it extended to the youth especially those of poor families. If a child committed a crime they were sent to locations like the workhouses in the attempt to deter them from committing any more crimes.
In 1870, the case of People ex. rel. O'Conner v. Turner paved a way for juvenile courts and the recognition of rights they had been denied. The case called for the courts to provide evidence as to why the young man, O'Conner had been sent to a reform house if he had not committed any criminal offense. In those times the children of many poor homes were being picked up and sent to reform schools just for hanging around in the street. This case made it important to have evidence and substantiate the reasons for sending a juvenile to an institution. Another case that makes a very important difference in the juvenile system today is the case of Kent v United States. With this case juveniles were awarded the opportunity to be rehabilitated and be part of the community without entering the adult system and becoming
Each state has its juvenile justice system with distinct laws and practices, but all courts agree that there are limitations that need to be in place in regards to the access to juvenile records. Confidentiality for the juvenile offender is maintained an important aspect because the thought is that each offender can be rehabilitated and reintegrated into the community without stigmatization. (PBS) Despite the negative views on the reasons for juvenile proceedings being closed to the general public, "the primary reason was to protect the identities of the youth."People said that the secrecy was to keep from the public the "high-handed and discriminatory" decisions being made by the juvenile court judges. (Champion,