Juvenile Justice
In our democracy, should juvenile offenders who are accused of serious violent crimes be prosecuted and punished as adults?
A central democratic idea is that citizens are equal before the law. Young people, however, are often treated differently. When should the law treat a teenager like a child and when like an adult? For the past 100 years, societies in Europe and North America have wrestled with this question. Balancing the needs of young people and the needs of society is particularly challenging when juveniles commit serious violent offenses.
Lessons
- English
- English - Alternate
- Македонски (Macedonian)
- Na Russkom Yizake (Russian)
- Romana (Romanian)
- Srpski (Serbian)
- Ukrainskoyu movoyu (Ukrainian)
Podcasts
Resources
Articles and Papers
- “Juveniles and the Death Penalty,” in Teens, Justice, and the Law: Resource Guide for the 2004 Illinois Youth Summit (Chicago: Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago, 2004)
- Krisberg, Barry, “Reforming Juvenile Justice,” American Prospect Online (September 1, 2005)
- Lane, Charles, "5-4 Supreme Court Abolishes Juvenile Executions," The Washigton Post (March 2, 2005)
- “Ministry of the Interior Analyzed Its Role in Preventing Juveniles from Second-Time Offenses” (Moscow: Ministry of the Interior, 2006)
- Puzzanchera, Charles M., “Delinquency Cases Waived to Criminal Court, 1990–1999,” OJJDP Fact Sheet 4 (Washington, DC: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2003)
- Rosenfeld, Sam, "Cruel Convergence," American Prospect Online (August 15, 2005)
- "Virginia Executes Juvenile Offender," Democracy Now! (January 11, 2000)
Activities and Websites
- "How Would You Decide" PBS: Frontline on Juvenile Justice
- "Cases and Resources: Chapter 16, Juvenile Justice," Street Law: A Course in Practical Law. 7th Edition. Glencoe/McGraw-Hill (2001)
- When Kids Get Life: Frontline
Audio Articles
- "Bloggers' Roundtable: Juvenile Justice" National Public Radio (November 21, 2007)
- "Juvenile Homicide" National Public Radio (December 15, 1997)
- "Juvenile Justice" National Public Radio (June 14, 2000)
- "Report Compares Teen Sentencing Around World" National Public Radio (October 17, 2007)