Discusses whether the imposition of capital punishment on an individual for a crime committed as a juvenile constitutes cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Explores the crimes of Kevin Stanford and David Allen who were 16 and 17 respectively when they each committed murder. (CMK)

The results of a performance review of educational programs for youth in residential commitment facilities are presented including background, methodology, and findings. Most juvenile justice students enter residential programs performing below their grade level in reading and math but improve by at least one grade level during their stay.…

In 2000, a multi-agency plan was developed for the vocational education of youth in juvenile commitment facilities. Part 1 of the plan describes the Plan Narrative, which provides contextual information and describes events leading up to the development of the plan, the rationale for creating the plan, and the characteristics of vocational…

Over 5,200 youths processed through a Juvenile Assessment Center during a 20-month period were involved in this study of recidivism predictors. Significant relationships were found between the youths' demographics, dependency referral factors, delinquency referral history variables, and recidivism. Direct implications for service delivery and…

Examines the sociocultural context of delinquency in one country and the rehabilitation of youthful offenders within the nexus of the extended family system. Assesses the impact of colonization on the system of juvenile justice and shows that juvenile delinquency is very low. Makes numerous recommendations regarding juvenile justice. (RJM)

This article highlights the importance for the youth justice movement to come to terms with a critical reality: The struggle for justice on a societal level cannot be separated from the work of nurturing, healing, and developing young people. Ruben S. Austria, Juvenile Justice Coalition steering committee member and founding director of…

A study of the aftercare services offered juvenile delinquents after residential placement was conducted in New York State. The emphasis was on the Juvenile Aftercare Services program, which serves the majority of youth being conditionally released into the community. Based on findings from the study involving interviews and site visits, the…

This report contains statistics for 1926-27 of schools for delinquents. The institutions are of a reformatory nature, and receive inmates committed to their care by juvenile and other courts. Reports were received from 158 institutions out of 173 believed to exist. The number of instructors reported for the year is 1,488, of which number 582 are…

Offers four judges' perspectives on the various changes in the juvenile court system focusing on the increased violence among juveniles as having the greatest effect on the courts; includes issues such as juveniles being tried in adult courts, the need to improve juvenile courts, and the role of public interest. (CMK)

This study evaluated a multiple-family group-intervention program (MFGI) for first-time juvenile offenders. The recidivism rate for subjects who completed the MFGI (the Family Solutions Program) was compared to recidivism rates of two other groups of first-time juvenile offenders. Using logistic regression analysis predicting who will recidivate,…

Actuarial risk assessment instruments are used increasingly in juvenile justice to classify youths according to their risk of recidivism. The purpose of this article is to describe the results of two studies of one instrument: the North Carolina Assessment of Risk (NCAR). In the first study, the inter-rater reliability of the risk assessment…

Crowded juvenile correctional centers, escalating costs of confinement, and high rates of recidivism have renewed interest in bringing innovative ideas to juvenile aftercare philosophy, practice, and programming. This program summary details an Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention initiative designed to assist public and private…

The Indiana juvenile justice system is charged with intervening on behalf of youthful offenders for the purposes of providing care, treatment, protection, or rehabilitation. This report provides an overview of the state's juvenile justice system, which has fallen under widespread criticism for many years. The following issues are identified: data…

This document reports results of a study that examined the status of and need for vocational education by juveniles and adults in state correctional institutions and local jails in Ohio. The study report includes the following: (1) an overall picture of crime and criminal justice in Ohio; (2) a rationale for providing vocational skill training for…

Growing evidence indicates that teen courts give a community's children and adults a practical response to the problems associated with delinquency, traffic safety, and substance abuse. Developing and implementing teen courts requires a collaborative effort and juvenile justice agencies need baseline information that will aid them in creating teen…