Cases and Materials on Juvenile Justice Administration

Book excerpt: This casebook compares & contrasts the justice system for juveniles with the criminal justice system used for adults, & also compares & contrasts different states' laws & juvenile justice policies. Within this dual comparative perspective, the casebook focuses on three themes: legal & administrative consequences of regulating children rather than adults; procedural & substantive implications of a justice system that nominally emphasizes treatment rather than punishment; & the tensions between discretion & rules that occur in a system that treats children, as compared to one that punishes adults. The casebook explores recent "get tough" policies, examines the "law in action" as well as the "law on the books" & incorporates empirical evaluations, criminological studies, & developmental psychological research to enrich students' understanding & to explore controversial issues such as gender & racial disparities in juvenile justice administration. The organization of the materials follows the natural flow of a delinquency case.