The Juvenile Court Era

In 1870 the state of Massachusetts began requiring separate hearings for juveniles.  Many states followed by creating separate juvenile courts.

Illinois Juvenile Courts Act, creatClick Here for Explanations for Delinquencyed a separate juvenile court and applied the term delinquent instead of criminal.  The act specified that the best interest of the child was to guide the judges decisions.

In 1938 the federal government passed the Juvenile Court Act,  it was based upon 5 philosophical principles.

1. The belief that the state is the “higher or ultimate parent”  of all the children within its borders.

2. The belief that children are worth saving and that non-punitive procedures should be used to save the child.

3. The belief that children should be nurtured.  While the nurturing process is under way,  they should be protected from the stigmatizing impact of formal adjudicatory procedures.

4. The belief that justice, to accomplish the goal of reformation, needs to be individualized; that is, each child is different, and needs, aspirations, living conditions, and so on,  of each child must be known in their individual particulars if the court is to be helpful.

5. The belief that the use of non-criminal procedures are necessary to give primary considerations to the needs of the child. The denial of due process could be justified in the face of constitutional challenges because the court acted not to punish, but to help.Click Here for Catgories of Children in the Juvenile Justice System

Explanations for Delinquency                                 Categories of Children

 

 

 

 

 

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