Juvenile Justice

This course looks at the historical origins and contemporary state of juvenile justice in America; it takes a systems approach to address various institutions (e.g. police, juvenile court, probation) involved in the juvenile justice process. Topics include creation/evolution of the juvenile court, the changing notions of adolescence and youth, and issues such as risk assessments, diversion programs, fines and fees, and alternatives to incarceration. The course goal is to illustrate the complex web of individual, cultural and social factors underlying the causes of and judicial responses to juvenile delinquency.