Question: In these stressful times, many state agencies have had to scale back on their programs. One of the most important departments that would deal with future generations in the United States is the Juvenile Justice System. You are the financial consultant for this state office. One suggestion that has come across your desk is to revamp the juvenile justice courts to save money and manpower.
- There is a plethora of theories pertaining to juvenile delinquency. These theories list a juvenile's economic background, substance abuse, interaction with delinquent peer groups, exposure to violence (including the media, video games, and domestic abuse), and finally lack of parental control as contributors.
- However, when is a juvenile no longer a status offender but in reality, a juvenile delinquent? When does the minor go from being an annoyance to being someone the courts and the criminal justice system should notice? A juvenile is labeled as a juvenile delinquent when he or she crosses that invisible line in the sand where he or she is no longer engaging in behaviors or activities that are not socially acceptable, but is also engaged in criminal activities. Many times, these juveniles have fallen through the cracks and have not had their individual needs met by the juvenile justice system when they have previously passed over its threshold.
- To assess the needs of your state, staying within the legal system, it is important to evaluate the laws, determine if there would be any disruption in the juvenile courts, and realize that there will be issues concerning union benefits and retirement.
Background Information: Since the late 1980s and early 1990s when juveniles earned the title "super predators," many states have changed their laws pertaining to waiving juveniles to adult court. The restorative justice agenda that was so widely used at that time began to gravitate toward a law and order perspective. The public, although perceptions were incorrect, began to believe that serious juvenile crime was on the rise and that the juvenile justice system had become too indulgent toward juvenile offenders.
- Sample questions that you may wish to address:
- How would this impact the hiring and keeping of juvenile probation officers and juvenile correctional officers and court-appointed attorneys?
- Should the United States make juvenile delinquents be under intensive supervision?
- Would your juvenile probation officers deal with the status offenders weekly or monthly?
- Would you give the parents the power to handle problems and report directly to the court?
- Would you offer parenting classes?
- Would you have a problem with unions? In some states, juvenile probation officers and juvenile correctional officers are unionized.
- Would it save money for the state to revamp programs?
- Would there have to be more programs?
- Would it save money for the state to have fewer employees?
- Would it save money for the states that give hazardous duty retirement for juvenile probation officers?
- Would it help with the state budget?
- Can you put them in the military?
- Would the state laws have to be addressed?
Assignment Guidelines: You are the financial consultant for the state office. Because the suggestion of dividing the juvenile court looks promising, you are going to check the facts to see if it would violate any state laws and, if you split this court system, what the effect would be to your state with federal funding and any problems with unions within your state government.
Address the following in 5-8 pages:
- Write a proposal to the governor outlining the funding, any potential problems, the advantages and disadvantages of this new system, and the option of taking juveniles out of the juvenile justice system and placing them into military service.
- Utilize the above sample questions or answer questions of your own.
- How would you rationalize this concept?
- How will you utilize your research from the first 3 Weeks? Explain.
- Be sure to reference all sources using APA style.
- Please submit your assignment.