One central controversy with youth sexting is that adolescents may be prosecuted under child pornography and obscenity statutes that were originally created to protect children from sexual exploitation perpetrated by adults and do not adequately address consensual teen behavior. Due to this concern, many states have implemented laws specifically…

This report describes the development of the juvenile justice system in the United States. It uses current data to look at where it is heading, and the recent trend of transferring certain juvenile cases to adult criminal court. Section 1 explains that the juvenile justice system was founded on the concept of rehabilitation through individualized…

This report is intended as a guide to judges, prosecutors, legislators, and other involved professionals who are interested in implementing strategies or modifying existing practices to improve the treatment of child victims and witnesses in their jurisdictions. Part I of this document provides an overview of the literature and a preliminary…

This document, the final report resulting from a two-year study of the use of juvenile records in adult court proceedings and the relationship between age and sanction severity, is of interest to researchers and policymakers concerned with sanction policies for youthful offenders. The introductory chapter provides an overview of the controversy…