CH 12 Flashcards
A juvenile who commits an act that is criminal when committed by an adult is called a ______.
-delinquent
-This term reflects the rehabilitative, rather than punitive, philosophy of American juvenile justice.
Some states use social service agencies to deal with status offenders. True or False
-True
- Some states have relinquished court jurisdiction over status offenses and instead they are managed by social service agencies.
What is the biological explanation for juvenile delinquency?
-Biologists argue that in all social primates, adolescents rebel against parents and seek out peers to affiliate with. Biologists often argue that delinquent behavior is a part of growing up.
The ______ is a visual representation of the relationship between the number of known crimes committed in a population over a given period mapped according to how old the population is.
-age–crime curve
-The age–crime curve is formed from the statistical count of the number of known crimes committed in a population over a given period mapped according to age.
Criminologists have noted this pattern has been noted throughout history and across cultures.
Low IQ, hyperactivity, negative emotionality, and low impulse control are associated with ______ offenders.
- life course–persistent
-These qualities are associated with life course–persistent offenders. These offenders are a minority but commit more than half of all delinquent acts. They also tend to commit serious crimes such as assault, robbery, and rape.
These offenders begin offending prior to puberty and continue into adulthood.
Which Latin phrase means “state as parent?”
-Parens patriae literally means “father of his country,” but practically it means “state as parent.”
-Since the 13th century, there has been movement toward greater state involvement in children’s lives. This doctrine reflects that.
In re Gault (1967) established parens patriae as settled law in the American juvenile justice system. True or False
-False
- It was Ex Parte Crouse (1838) that established parens patriae as settled law in the American juvenile justice system, more than a century before In re Gault (1967).
What was the motivation for the creation of separate juvenile courts in the United States?
-A sharp increase in juvenile delinquency
-Creation of a separate court system for juveniles was motivated by increasing concern for child welfare in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
-separate juvenile courts were first established in 1899, and by 1945 all states had them.
The juvenile court accepts jurisdiction in 99% of cases filed by juvenile court prosecutors. True or False
-True
- In about 99% of the cases, the court does accept jurisdiction. The other 1% of the time, the case is waived to adult court.
Juveniles may be waived to adult court via ______.
-prosecutorial discretion, in addition to judicial waiver or statutory exclusion.
-There are three types of waivers: prosecutorial discretion, judicial waiver, and statutory exclusion
What is the significance of the decision in Kent v. United States?
-This ruling determined that juveniles must be given certain constitutional rights. It also began the process of formalizing the juvenile system.
Which case determined that it was unconstitutional to execute anyone under 18 years old?
-In Roper v. Simmons, the Supreme Court reset the age line for the death penalty at 18 years old.
-Prior to this case, juveniles could be executed at 16 years old.
What was the significance of the Atkins v. Virginia ruling?
-In Atkins, the Court ruled that the execution of a person with mental illness was cruel and unusual because of the lesser degree of culpability attached to the person with mental illness.
The majority of adjudicated delinquents are sent to residential facilities. True or False
-False
- The majority of adjudicated delinquents are placed into some form of community-based corrections, and just over a quarter are sent to residential facilities.
One of the goals of juvenile community corrections is to provide positive role models for youth. True or False
-True
- Juvenile community corrections offer a wide variety of options to implement the three-pronged goal of the juvenile justice system: (a) to protect the community, (b) to hold delinquent youths accountable, and (c) to provide treatment and positive role models for youths.
