LESSON OBJECTIVES Unit 4: A Separate System for Juveniles Criminal Justice BHS Law Related Education Unit 4: A Separate System for Juveniles Unit 4: A Separate System for Juveniles LESSON OBJECTIVES 4-1 Analyze the history of juvenile justice in the U.S. and define the legal doctrine of Parens Patriae 4-2 Explore juvenile court jurisdiction and identify the classification of juvenile offenders 4-3 Comprehend adjudication in juvenile court and learn the rights of juveniles Unit 4 Case Study: The Saga of Lionel Tate

A. History of Juvenile Justice Criminal Justice BHS Law Related Education Unit 4: A Separate System for Juveniles Unit 4-1 A Brief History of Juvenile Justice A. History of Juvenile Justice Based on the belief that juveniles and adults should be treated differently, a separate justice system for juveniles was created in the United States in the late 1899. New Jersey first began to differentiate between juveniles and adults in 1900. The Juvenile Court Act in 1903, created a juvenile court within each New Jersey county.

B. The Doctrine of Parens Patriae Criminal Justice BHS Law Related Education Unit 4: A Separate System for Juveniles Unit 4-1 A Brief History of Juvenile Justice B. The Doctrine of Parens Patriae Juvenile court was created to handle juvenile offenders on the basis of their youth rather than their crimes. The purpose of juvenile court is treatment and guidance rather than punishment. The creation of the juvenile justice system was based on the Legal Doctrine of Parens Patriae, meaning “the state as parent.” Under the parens patriae philosophy, the goal of the juvenile courts became individualized justice for juveniles.

C. Myths About Juvenile Justice Criminal Justice BHS Law Related Education Unit 4: A Separate System for Juveniles Unit 4-1 A Brief History of Juvenile Justice C. Myths About Juvenile Justice Historically, juvenile violent crime arrest rates have risen over the last 20 years. Research on juvenile violence suggests that the increase in arrests of juveniles in the last 20 years was not because teenagers were more violent, but the result of increased police activity. Officers now arrest young people in situations that would have been handled without arrest years ago.