Chapter 16

Chapter 16-Juvenile Justice
These are some main points in the class discussion on Chapter 16
1. Young people have a problem realizing the consequences of reality
2. Professor McNinch stated that children under the age of 12, are results of mostly parenting problems, these children usually come from broken homes. Now, children from the ages of 12-17 are juveniles, because they are at that stage of making decisions for themselves and others.
3. Determinism- you can only start/go to a place, if you can only start now. There is nothing you can do about yesterday. The past should not touch you, don’t let it chain your present.
I think with this being said, Professor McNinch was trying to explain to use that when people commit crimes, they always dwell on the things they “should have” done. But, like what was said, there is nothing we can do about yesterday.
4. Victory Frankl’s Logo theraphy- suggest that we [humans] learn a lesson from it [our past] and move on.
5. Idle hands makes the devil’s workshop- Professor McNinch also stated that the reason why public school was introduced was to get the children out of trouble. If you do not give young people something to do, they will end up doing something else, that is usually “trouble.”

Here are the top 10 information I chose from Chapter 16.
1.Delinquency- a criminal act committed by a person under the age of majority.
2.Status offenses- Undesirable behaviors that are unlawful only for juveniles.
3. Parens Patriae- the state acts as a parent. The view that juvenile law violations are a sign that parents cannot or will not take care of their child adequately and that it is up to the state to step in and act in his/her or best interests, thus preventing future misbehavior.
4. The most commonly used indicator of delinquency is the rate of juvenile arrests.
5. Younger juveniles are arrested significantly less often than older juveniles.
6. The first juvenile court was established in 1899. It was during 1960s, when most modifications regarding the concern of delinquency was addressed in the juvenile justice system.
7. In Kent v. United states, the Supreme Court ruled that a juvenile must receive a hearing before being referred to criminal court for trial as an adult.
8. A 2005 Supreme court decision now prohibits imposition of the death penalty for crimes committed when offenders are under the age of 18.
9. Police have 5 alternatives on deciding how to handle a juvenile (1) warn and release, (2) refer to juvenile court, (3) refer to a social welfare agency, (4) refer to another police department, or (5) refer to criminal court for prosecution as an adult.
10. Many believe that in order to reduce the numbers of serious delinquents,action must be taken to address their living conditions.