JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM
The juvenile justice system depends on the juvenile court's interaction and cooperation with various government agencies and individuals. These individuals include juvenile officers and probation staff, police, juvenile corrections, schools, prosecutors, defense counsel, social service agencies, child protection agencies, mental health, and government policymakers.
American Attitudes About Juvenile Crime Keeps Evolving
The history of juvenile justice is characterized by ongoing action and reaction. All 50 states and the District of Columbia maintain juvenile courts. The juvenile court's rehabilitative model coexists with laws and policies designed to assure personal accountability and community safety. Over the past thirty years, many Americans have questioned whether the get-tough approach hurts successful outcomes for juvenile offenders, burdens taxpayers, and weakened public safety.
In New Jersey, as well as in other states, as juvenile crime falls and state budgets are strained, it appears the pendulum has swung toward reform and less emphasis on the get-tough response. The late 1990s saw the beginning of an array of scientific research concerning adolescent brain development. The Supreme Court has recognized the basic principle that children are different from adults, and the juvenile justice system must be shaped by those differences.
So what's the outlook in the United States regarding juvenile justice? Will we return to the get-tough approach to juvenile crime? The public's perception stems mainly from local and national media coverage. We all know that media as well as social media sensationalize and report acts of violence by juvenile offenders. Will this trigger change in the course of juvenile justice policy?
In this day of uncertainty, you need an experienced criminal attorney that handles juvenile matters in Paterson, Passaic County, Bergen County, and anywhere in New Jersey. Attorney David L. Pine will bring his 35 years of experience to represent your loved one in family court. Please call him at (973) 427-7444.