Social Law and Statutory Law

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the juvenile justice system in the United States, explaining the reasons why it is separated from the regular crime system and how it is influenced by the political and social conditions of the state. Particular attention is paid to the juvenile justice system in California and how the system has increasingly focused on incarceration rather than rehabilitation. Finally, the paper discusses evidence indicating that mental health services at an early age are highly effective in treating potential juvenile offenders and turning them away from a life of crime.

From the Paper:

"The main object of separating the juvenile justice system from the regular crime system had been on the assumption that minors were different from adults in their ability to make decisions and understand consequences, "The juvenile justice system has evolved over the years based on the premise that juveniles are different from adults and juveniles who commit criminal acts generally should be treated differently from adults" (Roberts, 2005). It was observed that the younger the offender, the more likely that a repeat offense would be stopped and a change in behavior would be observed. It was, therefore, thought that youngsters should be given the benefit of the doubt and should not be treated as adult offenders."

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