Case Studies with Questions and Answers
Chapter 02: The History of Juvenile Justice
Carl has been in and out of trouble his entire life. At age 15, he has already been brought to the juvenile court for a wide range of behaviors over the years by the police, the school, and even his parents. Most of his behavior has involved property offenses and simple confrontations with other youths his age. The minor nature of his actions has typically resulted in minimal action by the system. Most of the time he has been sent home with a stern warning by the police or the juvenile prosecutor. When he has gone before the judge he has been put on unsupervised probation.
This time Carl has been arrested for a major theft from the home of a local elderly couple that involved his entering the house when no one was home. The decision has been made to take more formal action in this instance. The initial investigation into his behavior and home life has revealed evidence of psychological and minor physical abuse. The parents display a surprising lack of concern for Carl and have told the court to do whatever it wants with him. This lack of concern surprises the intake officer, especially given the fact that the family is well off and well respected in the community. The intake officer makes the statement that it is a shame how kids are treated now.