JUVENILE JUSTICE AND REFORM: A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT HOW THE UNITED STATES PUNISHES JUVENILES
Date
2018-05
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
In the United States, the Juvenile Justice system is flawed. Despite ongoing
research into how to best improve the rehabilitative methods utilized, federal
legislation and aid has been delayed. The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention
act has not been reauthorized, and is eleven years overdue. Reviewing previous
authorizations, and understanding the overall history of the Juvenile Justice system in
the United States allows one to understand why the reauthorization is necessary. The
federal government must reauthorize new legislation, and implement reforms in order
to continue to better the Juvenile Justice system. Federal legislation on Juvenile Justice
is important as it establishes a base standard of care, as well as provides funding for
states to modernize their practices. The reforms must be based on evidence-based
research, as well as being trauma-informed. These reforms should include preventative
measures, such as furthering instruction for educators on sociological observations
about the harms of School-to-Prison pipeline and Labeling Theory. It should also
include the eradication of exceptions that allow for status offenders to be incarcerated.
Juvenile offenders have the best chance to at aging out of crime, and becoming lawabiding
adults, but in order to accomplish this goal the federal government should pass
the legislation furthering reforms.
Description
Keywords
Political Science, Juvenile Justice, reform, juvenile punishment