Juvenile Justice System Essay

The juvenile justice system is the primary system used to address youth who are under the age of 18, and have committed a crime. The theories and practices of the juvenile justice system have evolved a great deal over the years. The juvenile system consists of five periods from 1646- the present.
The first period of juvenile justice is the Puritan Period. This period lasted from 1646- 1824. It was believed that bad children were evil and there was no rehabilitation for them. If parents could not control their kids, then community control and punishment were deemed necessary. “According to common law, a youth under the age of 14, can be adjudicated, incapable of discerning right from wrong, it appeared to the courts and the jury, that he could …show more content…
From 1824-1899, reformers focused on the urban and the poor. This was the Refuge Period. Reformers felt that children could be rehabilitated. Despite many reforms, juveniles, could still be arrested, tried, and imprisoned. The same criminal justice processes for children were the same as for an adult. Reformers urged that institutions be built for delinquent juveniles; therefore, they will be able to live in a healthy and structured environment. After the demise of the Refuge Period, came the Juvenile Court Period, in 1899. At this point, juveniles were separated from adults. Juveniles were treated by public efforts and guided by new public policies and research”, (Hess, Orthomann, Wright, )***
Within this period, the Federal Government, expanded its role, and began assisting and providing direction for youth services. In 1937, “recognizing the power and influence juvenile courts had on children’s lives, a group of juvenile court judges came together to find the NCJFCJ, formally known as the National Council of Juvenile and Court Judges. (NCJFCJ)
From 1960-1980, was the Juvenile Rights Period. This period implemented many reforms for juveniles. Due process was also given to juveniles during this period. “Key points from this period for juveniles

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