Juvenile Justice System Essay Examples

Juvenile justice in the United States is a collection of state and local court-based systems whose purpose is to respond to young people who come into contact with law enforcement and are accused of breaking the law.

The first juvenile court in the United States, authorized by the Illinois Juvenile Court Act of 1899, was founded in 1899 in Chicago. The act gave the court jurisdiction over neglected, dependent, and delinquent children under age 16. The focus of the court was rehabilitation rather than punishment.

Probation, community service, youth court, youth incarceration and alternative schooling.

Courts in the juvenile justice system are focused on rehabilitating juveniles rather than punishing them like adults. The system has a lot of flexibility because its main goal is to correct juvenile offenders and not necessarily to punish them.

The United States incarcerates more of its youth than any other country in the world.
Ten (10) is the minimal age for secure detention of a juvenile unless it is a capital offense.
Young offenders who are released a second time are even more likely to end up behind bars again.