Chapter Questions
Is it fair to have a separate legal category for youths? Considering how dangerous young people can be, does it make more sense to group offenders on the basis of what they have done and not on their age?
At what age are juveniles truly capable of understanding the seriousness of their actions?
Is it fair to institutionalize a minor simply for being truant or running away from home? Should the jurisdiction of status offenders be removed from juvenile court and placed with the state department of social services or some other welfare organization?
Should delinquency proceedings be secret? Does the public have the right to know who juvenile criminals are?
Can a get-tough policy help control juvenile misbehavior, or should parens patriae remain the standard?
Should juveniles who commit felonies such as rape or robbery be treated as adults?