Juvenile & Delinquency Test 1
questions well answered (updated)
On what primary basis do we view juveniles as being different than adults? - correct answer
✔✔We view juveniles as "under the age of majority".
Given the acknowledged difference (juveniles vs adults), what does that mean juveniles deserve
or need? - correct answer ✔✔It means that they only have the right to custody
What are the "special laws" for juveniles called? What are these laws (ideally) designed to do? -
correct answer ✔✔Status offense laws.
Since we view juveniles differently than adults, the book discusses how we have created special
courts that take this difference into account. Describe some of the key ways that these special
courts for juveniles (juvenile courts) have differed from the adult courts. - correct answer ✔✔-
Primary goal: rehabilitate.treat/help, NOT punish
-Primary focus: offender, NOT offense
-View of offender: malleable, NOT fixed
-More informal, less adversarial
-Different terminology: Such as adjudicated and disposition
-More privacy
-No death penalty (since 2005)
What does the phrase "invention of delinquency" mean? - correct answer ✔✔-Historically little
distinction between adults and juveniles. Viewed treated and acted like adults
-Common law provided the infancy defense. Children under 7 cannot from intent
, 1800's mini adult view was rejected. New view saw them as vulnerable. Innocent, immature,
require adult protection (dependency).
The book describes two major interpretations about the "invention" of juvenile delinquency.
Briefly describe each interpretation. Which interpretation is true according to the book? -
correct answer ✔✔-One interpretation argues that reformers were genuinely concerned about
the plight of poor children. Primarily middle class women. It sprang from the desire of middle-
class reformers to help children, especially poor urban children.
-The second interpretation argues that upper-class people were distrubed by the large
concentration of poor people - especially immigrants - in the city. It resulted from the desire of
upper-class people to protect their privileged position in society.
Century For Change (B.B)
Explain the legal doctrine known as "parens patriae." How is that legal doctrine relevant to both
due process rights and individualized treatment? (pages 2-3) - correct answer ✔✔the right for
the state to intervene in the lives of children, differently than they would for adults. Since
children were not of full legal capacity, the state would step in and provide protection to them
when their parents could not.
describes the three main methods of measuring the extent and trends of delinquency. - correct
answer ✔✔Official Data/Statistics, Self-Report Offending, Self-Report Victimization
The juvenile justice system has not been a "static" (unchanging) system since its inception. What
are some of the major changes described in the reading noted to have occurred in the juvenile
justice since its inception in 1899? - correct answer ✔✔-Transfer provisions
-Confidentiality
-Victim Rights
-Holding juveniles more accountable for their actions
-Became more about protecting the community from criminals
-Punishment consistent with the crime
questions well answered (updated)
On what primary basis do we view juveniles as being different than adults? - correct answer
✔✔We view juveniles as "under the age of majority".
Given the acknowledged difference (juveniles vs adults), what does that mean juveniles deserve
or need? - correct answer ✔✔It means that they only have the right to custody
What are the "special laws" for juveniles called? What are these laws (ideally) designed to do? -
correct answer ✔✔Status offense laws.
Since we view juveniles differently than adults, the book discusses how we have created special
courts that take this difference into account. Describe some of the key ways that these special
courts for juveniles (juvenile courts) have differed from the adult courts. - correct answer ✔✔-
Primary goal: rehabilitate.treat/help, NOT punish
-Primary focus: offender, NOT offense
-View of offender: malleable, NOT fixed
-More informal, less adversarial
-Different terminology: Such as adjudicated and disposition
-More privacy
-No death penalty (since 2005)
What does the phrase "invention of delinquency" mean? - correct answer ✔✔-Historically little
distinction between adults and juveniles. Viewed treated and acted like adults
-Common law provided the infancy defense. Children under 7 cannot from intent
, 1800's mini adult view was rejected. New view saw them as vulnerable. Innocent, immature,
require adult protection (dependency).
The book describes two major interpretations about the "invention" of juvenile delinquency.
Briefly describe each interpretation. Which interpretation is true according to the book? -
correct answer ✔✔-One interpretation argues that reformers were genuinely concerned about
the plight of poor children. Primarily middle class women. It sprang from the desire of middle-
class reformers to help children, especially poor urban children.
-The second interpretation argues that upper-class people were distrubed by the large
concentration of poor people - especially immigrants - in the city. It resulted from the desire of
upper-class people to protect their privileged position in society.
Century For Change (B.B)
Explain the legal doctrine known as "parens patriae." How is that legal doctrine relevant to both
due process rights and individualized treatment? (pages 2-3) - correct answer ✔✔the right for
the state to intervene in the lives of children, differently than they would for adults. Since
children were not of full legal capacity, the state would step in and provide protection to them
when their parents could not.
describes the three main methods of measuring the extent and trends of delinquency. - correct
answer ✔✔Official Data/Statistics, Self-Report Offending, Self-Report Victimization
The juvenile justice system has not been a "static" (unchanging) system since its inception. What
are some of the major changes described in the reading noted to have occurred in the juvenile
justice since its inception in 1899? - correct answer ✔✔-Transfer provisions
-Confidentiality
-Victim Rights
-Holding juveniles more accountable for their actions
-Became more about protecting the community from criminals
-Punishment consistent with the crime
