Revised 11/2021
ADJ 105 - The Juvenile Justice System (3 CR.)
Course Description
Presents the evolution, philosophy, structures and processes of the American juvenile delinquency system; surveys the right of juveniles, dispositional alternatives, rehabilitation methods, and current trends. Lecture 3 hours per week.
General Course Purpose
Presents the evolution, philosophy, structures and processes of the American juvenile delinquency system; surveys the right of juveniles, dispositional alternatives, rehabilitation methods, and current trends. Lecture 3 hours per week.
Course Prerequisites/Corequisites
None.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
- Explain the functioning of the juvenile justice system (law enforcement, juvenile court, and juvenile corrections).
- Describe the causes of youth crime and the role society in helping reduce juvenile delinquency.
- Describe various theories of the causation of juvenile delinquency in American society.
- Describe the importance of rehabilitative and reductive efforts for juvenile crime.
Major Topics to Be Included
- The history of juvenile crime and attempts by society to deal with juvenile offenders.
- Review the philosophy of the American juvenile justice system.
- Crime causation and theories of delinquency.
- Role of law enforcement in preventing juvenile delinquency.
- The juvenile court (judge, probation officer, prosecutor, intake etc.).
- Juvenile detention or corrections.
- Public response to the occurrence of various types of delinquency.
- Review child abuse and neglect.
- Review the problems associated with runaway children.
- Examine significant Supreme Court decisions and their impact on the juvenile justice system.
- Constitutional rights of juveniles.
- Compare and contrast the juvenile justice system to the criminal justice system.
- Examine youth gangs.
- Review gender differences in delinquency rates.
- Examine peer group influences.
- Analyze family responsibilities.