The Issues Of The Juvenile Justice Act - 820 Words

Queensland is well known for its contrasting position on the youth justice system, contravening with the Conventions of the Right of the Child (CRC) and disregarding recommendations made by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The Juvenile Justice Act 1992 (QLD) is particularly scrutinized for containing legislation that states 17 year olds can be charged, tried and detained as an adults, giving courts the potential to overcharge punishments for juveniles and threaten their safety in adult prisons (). This legislation is not in the best interest of the child, fails to rehabilitate youth, is not fair, just or equitable and should therefore be amended to reach the standards of the United Nations and other Australian states. By analysing the key issues of the Juvenile Justice Act 1992 and examining the social implication of these issues on key stakeholders, the recommendation that Queensland should adopt America’s Intensive Supervision Program and chan ge the definition of a child to include 17 year olds in the legislation can be made. The Juvenile Justice Act 1992 states that children are people ‘who have not turned 17 years of age,’ leaving the potential for 17 year olds to be dealt with in the adult criminal justice system. However according to the Family Law Act 1975 ‘a child means a person who is under 18 years of age.’ Similarly, other Queensland legislation such as Section 36 of the Acts Interpretation Act 1954 defines a child as ‘anShow MoreRelatedJuvenile Justice And Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act1577 Words   |  7 Pagesis to research the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act. The paper will focus on the purpose of this legislation, as well as the values that are expressed by this policy. This paper will not only address why this piece of legislation is important it will discuss the effects this act has had on the communities as well as the youths themselves. This paper, will also address the potential for change about the public att itudes towards the juvenile justice system and the socialRead MoreJuvenile Delinquency And The Juvenile Justice System1299 Words   |  6 Pagesdedicated his life to troubled juveniles once said, â€Å"I believe that the kids who are labeled â€Å"good† are children who know how to solve their problems and manage their behavior and social life, and the kids who are labeled â€Å"bad† are kids who don’t know how to solve those problems.† Every day, kids are committing illegal acts of varying severity. Some are involved in petty robberies, others involved in murders and rape. These juveniles become the responsibility of the juvenile justice system which is taskedRead MoreThe Juvenile Justice System1313 Words   |  6 Pages Today s concept of the juvenile justice system is relatively new due to significant modifications in policy overtime. The justice system has been trying to figure out effective ways to treat juvenile criminal offenders successfully fo r years. The justice system did not always have a special category for juveniles and their crime. Juveniles was once treated as adults when they committed crimes and were subjected to harsh punishments. The juvenile court was the culmination of efforts of the positivistRead MoreReform Struggles During The 1960 s S And It Changed The Appearance Of The Juvenile Justice System858 Words   |  4 Pagesappearance of the juvenile justice system. New York passed legislation in 1962 which made a family court system. This court system took on the responsibility for all concerns which involves family life and heavy concentration on delinquent and neglected youths. The PINS (person in need of supervision) and CHINS (children in need of supervision) were also created by legislation which contains issues like truancy. When utilizing these labels it sets jurisdiction over youth, juvenile courts extended theirRead MoreFuture of the Juvenile Justice System1280 Words   |  6 PagesFuture of the J uvenile Justice System The future of the juvenile justice system is uncertain. There is a struggle to try a find a way to serve the needs of the juvenile delinquents and issue them a punishment for violating the law. In order to improve the direction of the juvenile justice system, recommendations are needed regarding community involvement, law enforcement, courts, corrections, and the private sector. These recommendations address issues that the system is currently facing and offersRead MoreH.R.1501 - Violent And Repeat Juvenile Offender Accountability1205 Words   |  5 PagesH.R.1501 - Violent and Repeat Juvenile Offender Accountability and Rehabilitation Act of 1999. H.R. 1809 focuses more on non-violent offenders, H.R. 1501 focuses towards violent and repeat offenders. Legislation Option 1: H.R. 1501 was introduced to the House on 04/21/1999 and passed through both the House and the Senate, the main focus of this Bill was â€Å"to provide quality prevention programs and accountability programs relating to juvenile delinquency† (H.R. 1501). This bill helps to solve someRead MoreJuvenile Justice Systems833 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction Juvenile crime is a term around the world that is difficult to pinpoint and although there are several definitions many fail to be concrete. There are many factors that play into sentencing juveniles or minors upon a crime committed. How old are they? Can they mentally form criminal intent? Are they old enough to no longer be treated as children? Some people would argue that a criminal is just that, regardless of age. Research on the other hand shows that juveniles have underdevelopedRead MoreThe Criminal Justice System Is Complex1201 Words   |  5 PagesOverview: The criminal justice system is complex and in need of several types of reforms, this is especially true in the juvenile justice system. In 2012, there were 1,319,700 arrests of juveniles in the United States (OJJDP) and this includes both violent and non-violent offenses committed by those under the age of 18. Policy reforms can offer alternatives to the incarceration of young offenders, by providing mental health, or ad diction rehabs for those that are in need of it rather than lockingRead MoreJuvenile Crime Law Is A Subcategory Of Juvenile Law937 Words   |  4 PagesJuvenile Crime Law is a subcategory of Juvenile Law. Although a type of criminal law, juvenile crime law only deals with under-age individuals, who are treated very differently than adults in criminal law, and usually have their own courts of law (Juvenile Criminal Law, n.d.). When it comes to crime, kids usually go through a different process than adults. But they still have to face consequences (Juvenile Crimes Juvenile Justice - Nolo.com, n.d.). Juvenile Criminal Law is a relevant issue inRead MoreThe Constitutionality Of The Juvenile Justice System1634 Words   |  7 PagesThe juvenile justice system has grown and changed substantially since 1899, when the nation’s first juvenile court was established in Illinois. Originally, the court process was informal often nothing more than a conversation between the youth and the judge and the defendant lacked legal representation. To replace confinement in jails with adults, the early juvenile courts created a probation system and used a separate service delivery system to provide minors with supervision, guidance, and education