ADMJ 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 21: Juvenile Court
Document Summary
The juvenile justice system: the history of juvenile justice. Parens patrie - common law principle allows state to assume parental role and take custody of child when delinquent, abandoned, in need, or natural parents unable/unwilling to provide. Changing social conditions, increase concern for child well-being. Large-scale immigration, many abandoned children, child-savers movement, reform schools. 1870 - massachusetts require separate hearings for juveniles. 1899 - illinois juvenile court act created juvenile court. Applied term delinquent rather than criminal to young adjudicated offenders. Judges ordered to serve child"s best interests, work as advocates. By 1945, every state enacted special legislation for handling juveniles. Delinquent child - violates the criminal law. Undisciplined child - beyond parental control; refuses to obey legitimate authorities; needs state protection. Dependent child - no parents or guardians to care for child; parents deceased, up for adoption, or child abandoned in violation of law.
