S. Juvenile Justice

This course will explore our juvenile justice system, from its origins in 1899 to the present day. Critical questions include: How are adolescent offenders treated differently from adult offenders? To what extent should they be? How do race, class, and social context influence the way young people are treated by the law? The course will explore how research informs constitutional law and state and federal policy affecting young people in the juvenile and criminal justice systems. We will pay particular attention to significant United States Supreme Court decisions as they apply to the various stages of the juvenile court process. Throughout the course students are invited to consider the appropriate role for the juvenile court system in light of the evolving science, social science, and law.