Juvenile Justice
Juvenile justice is the separate system that responds to crimes and misconduct by young people. It rests on the idea that children differ from adults and can change. States run most of it, through special courts, detention centers, and probation agencies, while federal law sets some protections. Its goals include accountability, rehabilitation, and public safety.
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August 1last updated
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Topics in Juvenile Justice
All Articles on Juvenile Justice
How the Juvenile Justice System Differs
Juvenile court differs from adult court in age limits, legal rights like those from the Gault case, and three ways teens can be tried as adults.
Life in Prison for a Teenager? The Supreme Court vs. The Eighth Amendment
American courts face a fundamental question: Can a society sentence a teenager to die in prison while upholding the Constitution's ban on "cruel and…