Barna 1

Stephanie Barna

Mr. Skrocki

CRJ 131-05

April 6, 2015

Chapter 15 Summary

Chapter 15 discusses the juvenile justice system. The Office of Juvenile Justice

and Delinquency Prevention states that there are about one million people under the age

of 18 arrested annually in America. The number of violent crimes committed by juveniles

is decreasing while the number of female juveniles breaking the law is increasing. Most

juveniles that commit crime have problems at home or school, such as maltreatment and

poverty. However, juveniles that commit a felony reduce their offending over time,

regardless of what type of treatment they receive.

The juvenile justice system is the justice system that deals with juveniles. It is

based on the adult justice system but focuses on rehabilitating the youth. The five

philosophical principals which characterize the juvenile court system are: the state is the

ultimate parent of all the children within it’s borders, children are worth saving, children

should be nurtured, justice needs to be individualized for each child, and that the court

acts to help, not punish.