Juvenile Crime The Criminal Justice System - 1031 Words

In the 1990s, violent juvenile crime rates had reached record high levels throughout the United States. During these years, many Americans considered the criminal justice system too easy on violent juvenile offenders and demanded reform. Many states, including Florida began to focus efforts on juvenile crime. â€Å"Florida’s criminal sentencing laws and punishment policies from 1980 to 2000 reflected an ongoing, focused effort to deter serious crimes† (Taylor). Crimes were given stricter sentencing guidelines. Serious offenses carried mandatory minimum sentences. â€Å"When it comes to kids and crime, Florida is known and the toughest state in the nation† (Clary). More juveniles are prosecuted as adults than in all other states combined. Juveniles were at the hands of these harsher adult sentences. Juveniles cannot vote, they cannot purchase alcohol or tobacco products, they cannot sign legal documents, they cannot be out after a certain hour, they are deemed too immature to handle their own lives. Juveniles, however can be waived to adult court where they could face sanctions as harsh as life imprisonment. In July 2003, 16 year old Terrance Jamar Graham and three other juveniles attempted to rob a restaurant in Jacksonville, Florida. Graham was arrested and charged with armed burglary with assault and or battery and attempted armed robbery. Under Florida law, 16 and 17 year olds could be tried as adults for most felony crimes at the discretion of the prosecutor. The prosecutorShow MoreRelatedJuvenile Crime Issues in Today’s Criminal Justice System18893 Words   |  76 Pages ©  ©  ©  © chapter 15 Juvenile Justice chapter 16 Drugs and Crime chapter 17 Terrorism and Multinational Criminal Justice chapter 18 The Future of Criminal Justice These individual rights must be effectively balanced against these present and emerging community concerns: Widespread drug abuse among youth The threat of juvenile crime Urban gang violence High-technology, computer, and Internet crime (cybercrime) Terrorism and narcoterrorism Occupational and whitecollar crime  ©  © A right to privacyRead MoreJuvenile Delinquency : Should Severity Of Punishment For Young Offenders Be The Same As Adults?1200 Words   |  5 PagesJuvenile Delinquency: Should Severity of Punishment for Young Offenders Be the Same as Adults? Throughout centuries of development, crime and social safety are still the biggest concerns for a country since it can influence the political, economic, and social aspects. With the evolution of human civilization, more than seventy percent of the world has been urbanized into developed countries. These countries contain advanced technologies, highly-comprehensive policies and economic system. Along withRead MoreFuture of the Juvenile Justice System1280 Words   |  6 PagesFuture of the Juvenile Justice System The future of the juvenile justice system is uncertain. There is a struggle to try a find a way to serve the needs of the juvenile delinquents and issue them a punishment for violating the law. In order to improve the direction of the juvenile justice system, recommendations are needed regarding community involvement, law enforcement, courts, corrections, and the private sector. These recommendations address issues that the system is currently facing and offersRead MoreThe Juvenile Justice System Is A System Modeled To Provide1066 Words   |  5 PagesThe Juvenile Justice System is a system modeled to provide a legal setting where youths account for their wrongs or are offered official protection. A distinct juveniles justice system commenced in the United States over 100 years ago. The first juvenile court was established in 1899. The system is founded under a range of core principles. First, juveniles are different from adults and hence need to be handled differently by the Justic e System. Second, it is argued that juveniles differ from oneRead MoreThe Role Of Parens Patriae Within The Criminal Justice System873 Words   |  4 Pageswithin the Criminal Justice System corresponds with the shaping of juvenile justice. Throughout history, the Criminal Justice System seldom focused on the understanding of the relationship between children and criminal responsibility and the special needs of juveniles. Despite of age, juveniles were often overlooked and were typically processed and subject to the similar punishments as adults. Consequently, juveniles placed in the same facilities as adults who committed heinous crimes were oftenRead MoreProsecuting Juveniles In Adult Court1510 Words   |  7 PagesProsecuting Juveniles in Adult Court Kimberly Washington Introduction to Statistics for Criminal Justice Ayana Conway, Ph.D., Assistant Professor September 30, 2013 Abstract This research paper will examine whether or not juveniles that commit violent crimes should be tried as an adult. Through research, I will establish an argument that children who commit the crimes of an adult should be punished as an adult. Data based on experience and observation detailing the number of juvenile offendersRead MoreTrying Juveniles as Adults Essay1312 Words   |  6 PagesAccording to Caldwell (1961) the juvenile justice system is based on the principle that youth are developmentally and fundamentally different from adults. According to Mack (1909) the focus of the juvenile justice system has shifted from â€Å"was the crime committed† to â€Å"why did the child commit the crime†, â€Å"how can we help the child†. When performing as it is designed and up to the initial intentions, the juvenile court balances rehabilitation (treatment) of the offender with suitable sanctions whenRead MoreShould Juvenile Offenders Be Punished?1423 Words   |  6 PagesAmericans, justice is important. When harm is done to most Americans, often victims of harm say they want the juvenile offender to pay for what he/she has done. Making someone pay for the harm they have caused is an easy concept when it comes to adult offenders; however, what about juvenile offenders? Should juvenile offenders be punished for what he/she has done? When victims want the juvenile offender to be punished for the harm they have caused, this is called retributive justice. Often AmericansRead MoreThe Constitutionality Of The Juvenile Justice System1634 Words   |  7 PagesThe juvenile justice system has grown and changed substantially since 1899, when the nation’s first juvenile court was established in Illinois. Originally, the court process was informal often nothing more than a conversation between the youth and the judge and the defendant lacked legal representation. To replace confinement in jails with adults, the early juvenile courts created a probation system and used a separate service delivery system to provide minors with supervision, guidance, and educationRead MoreJuvenile Offenders And The Criminal Justice System860 Words   |  4 PagesOnce youth is committed a crime he or she must face the criminal justice. Whether it is simple face to face contact with the police officer or trip to juvenile facility, juven ile is becoming part of the criminal justice system. For many youth it is their first contact with the justice system however for some others it is a very familiar process. So once juvenile is making face to face contact with the police officers, his life is in the hands of that officer who can make very important and sometime