Juvenile Punishment and Sentencing
CJA224: Introduction to Criminal Court Systems
March 18, 2013
Professor Sylvia Beaver
Juvenile Punishment and Sentencing
The United States consist of two different justice systems, the criminal justice system and the Juvenile justice system. Both of these systems strive to reduce crime; however, there are significant differences between them. The juvenile court system concentrates on restorative justice, which means they focus on the positive with an offender and not the negative. The juvenile courts use rehabilitation type punishment before incarceration and often restore the relationship between the offender, victim, and society. The juvenile system makes every effort to prevent juveniles from becoming adult offenders. The juvenile court system has multiple levels of punishments, processes, and sentences; each offender receives a detailed assessment and receives the punishment at the level best suited to fit the offense. Although there are many differences between adult and juvenile court systems, the offender’s right to appeal the judge’s final decision is the same in both courts and handled in a similar manner.
Punishments within the juvenile court system in theory are based on rehabilitation and not on actual punishment. Every state has its own laws for sentencing of juveniles and the court procedures may vary from county to county within the state as well. Federal law outlines some basic requirements in the Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act but it is solely within the state’s jurisdiction and laws that determine sentencing.
Similar to a sentencing hearing in adult criminal court, a disposition hearing is held to determine the appropriate punishment if the minor is found guilty. Sentencing may include commitment to a psychiatric institution, forced placement in a foster home or residential facility, probation, treatment programs, fines, community service, or reimbursement to the victim in the case or any...