Is There a Need for a Separate Adolescent Court System - Essay Example

Reforms must be introduced to make the juvenile system be more effective at curbing juvenile crimes and rehabilitating offenders. Several factors must be taken into account in introducing the necessary reforms to the juvenile court system. Firstly, the competence of the juvenile in understanding their trial process differs from an adult (John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, 2011). The second factor mentioned by the MacArthur Foundation is the culpability of the criminal responsibility or blameworthiness of the accused of the illegal activity committed (2011).

Lastly, the third factor noted is the change expected from the individual after serving his term in the juvenile system. These factors are necessary inputs in the reforms that must be introduced to the juvenile court system to make it more effective instead of creating a new adolescent court system. Since the rationale for the proposed adolescent court system is based on the “softness” of the juvenile courts, reforms to address this issue could be studied and initiated. Furthermore, establishing an adolescent court system will bring in new problems such as determining the criteria as to which court should try an offender.

The Center for Early Adolescence puts the issue in its proper perspective when it stated, “One size does not fit all; thus, an effective juvenile justice system actively provides empirically titrated supervision to all youth in the system based on their risk for criminal behavior and their need-those diverted, those incarcerated, and those released” (2008). In summary, one can say that establishing an adolescent court system which will not be as “soft” as the juvenile court system and “not too hard” as the adult criminal justice system, is not the solution to the problem of juvenile delinquency.

The answer is the introduction of much-needed reforms to the juvenile court system. Reforms such as effective interventions for the youth and their families even before they face the juvenile justice system; reduction in the dependence on incarcerating together juvenile offenders with varying risk factors; and focusing on rehabilitation, with emphasis on the mental health of the offender, rather on the crime committed (John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, 2011). References Center on Early Adolescence. (2008). Building a more effective juvenile justice system.

Retrieved August 31, 2011, from earlyadolescence.org: https://www.earlyadolescence.org/juvenile_justice_system John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. (2011). Adolescent development and juvenile justice. Retrieved August 31, 2011, from macfound.org: http://www.macfound.org/site/c.lkLXJ8MQKrH/b.948173/k.D1D7/Research_Networks_ _Adolescent_Development_and_Juvenile_Justice.htm