Juvenile Offenders and Victims - Book Report/Review Example

Report on Juvenile Offenders and Victims Introduction The purpose of this report is to survey the existing state of the juvenile justice system and outline probable improvements and adjustments in the field. By examining all past and current trends in the field, this report scrutinizes the major topics of concern in the field currently. The report entails some of the most sought after information on the juvenile justice system in the United States. The report draws on reliable statistics and relevant research to present an insightful and comprehensive vile of juvenile offenders and victims, and what ensues from the detention in the United States’ juvenile system. The report presents to juvenile justice professionals, state legislators, academics, congress and concerned citizens answers to frequently asked questions about the nature of victimization and juvenile crime and the juvenile justice’s response. The justice system ought to respond to the criminal behaviors of the youth in a way that not only hold the youths responsible and protects the community but also advances the youth’s ability to responsibly and effectively live in the community. To respond to these intricate issues, policymakers, the public and juvenile justice practitioners must have access to accurate and useful information about the youth that the system servers and the system itself. Occasionally, the info required is not always accessible and when accessible it is always scattered. 1. Juvenile victims This section summarizes incidence and prevalence of youth victimization. It answers vital questions to help those concerned in developing programs and policies to guarantee the safety and well-being of the American youth. Research has shown that child abuse and victimization are connected to delinquent behaviors that become apparent later in life. So comprehending the trends in childhood victimization can lead to a better understanding of juvenile offending. Statistics show that one in every 25 children in the United States is neglected or abused. Child maltreatment include sexual, physical and emotional abuse and educational, emotional and physical neglect by the caretaker. It is also important to note that family characteristics relates to the rates of child maltreatment. The rates of abuse vary in relation to the caretaker’s or parent’s economic and employment status. Most neglect and abuse cases in the US enter child welfare system through the child protective services agencies. The number of cases reported through these agencies are high, for instance in 2010, child protective services agencies got approximately 63,500 abuse referrals weekly. The overwhelming majority of the child abuses culprits are parents of the victims. Incidents where children are harmed by other people who are not their parents are reported to law enforcement rather than to the child protective services agencies. Reported child maltreatment mortalities frequently involve toddlers and infants and majority result from neglect. Policymakers and practitioners are recognizing the edge of juvenile justice systems and child welfare. It is reported that the numbers of children in foster homes have decreased by approximately 30% since 1999. Youth in both juvenile justice systems and child welfare were found to have worse outcomes than other youth according to a study carried out by The Center for Juvenile Justice Reform. The national Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence (NatSCEV) documents that more than half of the American youth have been exposed to violence in the past year. Some of the violence instances are experienced at home while others are experienced in the learning institution, is bullying and school violence. Nearly 1one in four serious violent crime victims documented in the law enforcement records are juvenile. It is also important to note that violent crimes with youth victims are common after school. 2. Juvenile justice system process and structure The first juvenile court in the US was founded in 1899 in Chicago. In the history of justice and law, juvenile justice is a comparatively new development. Perceptions of juvenile crime epidemic that occurred in the 1990s brought about reasons, media assessment, absorbed the public’s attention to the system’s capacity to efficiently control violent youthful offenders. This section describes the process and structure of the juvenile justice system, focusing on status offense matters and delinquency. The section also provides information on youth processed in the central justice system and a discussion on measuring re-offense in the justice system. The juvenile justice system was established on the conception of individualized justice rehabilitation. This was to help stop the system that was in place before that saw youths stand trial and become prosecuted and sentenced to jail time and even execution. Juvenile courts flourished in the early 20th C. the focus on offenders and not offense, on recuperation and not penalty had massive procedural impact. In the 1950s and 1960s however, the society began to question the system’s ability to succeed in rehabilitating delinquent youth. In the 1980s the focus began shifting toward law and order. The 1990s saw extraordinary change in state legislatures attacked on juvenile crime. Some juvenile codes highlight prevention and treatment objectives, some stress punishment, but majority seek a balanced tactic. The Supreme Court cases have had major impacts on the procedures and character of the juvenile justice system. Only the State statutes dictate the person under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court. These statutes set age limits for jurisdiction of the juvenile court. Majority of delinquents enter the juvenile justice system through the police and other law enforcement agencies. Once a backbone of juvenile court, discretion has given way to considerable openness in many states. All states permit some juveniles to be prosecuted in criminal court or else face adult consents. In most states, offense criteria and age hinder the transfer requirements. Just like transfer laws, juvenile court merged sentencing licenses obligation of adult sanctions on juveniles. Juvenile indigent defense is basically a country based system of public defense. Very few juveniles enter the federal justice system. 3. Law enforcement and juvenile crime For most law breakers, law enforcement is the entrance to the juvenile justice system. The arresting officer is the first to determine if one is to be intricate deeper into the justice system. The crime reporting program of the FBI observes law enforcement’s reaction to juvenile crime. It is reported that in 2010 alone, law enforcement made 1.6 million juvenile arrests. A small number of young juvenile enter the juvenile justice system. Numerous law enforcement agencies set aside specialized divisions that mostly concentrate on juvenile justice. Conclusion and Recommendations The report has highlighted various issues that are of grave concern in the field of juvenile justice. The part played by law enforcement in the juvenile justice system, the victims of the system, the history and structure of the system. This report has some useful insight on the juvenile system that can be used by a range of concerned parties. Putting the issues addressed above in mind, the juvenile justice ought to improve on the following issues: the rehabilitation process, the system ought to seek an effective rehabilitation formula that ensures minimal rearrests; coordination with law enforcement, more divisions are necessary in law enforcement agencies to help with matters of juvenile delinquencies. This is to prevent and to reduce the number of juveniles falling into the federal judicial system. And finally, enforcement of stricter penalties on child maltreatment offenses. This work to improve the lives of potential juvenile delinquents who as we have seen above, have rough childhoods. References Read More