Juvenile Justice Timeline

Juvenile JusticeTimeline

Puritan Period

1. Colonists brought the English Criminal Justice system to the U.S. with them.
2. Massachusetts passed the "Stubborn Child Law"
3. People had to have vicious will and commit an unlawful act in order to commit a crime.
4. Infants(<7) were unable to commit crimes. 8 Year olds tried as adults.
5. Family control weakened with the start of the industrial revolution.

1646-1824

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Refuge Period

1. Rapid growth of the poor class.
2. Juvenile facilities started to grow(houses of refuge).
3. Reform schools and foster homes started to come along.
4. Child savers started.
5. YMCA and YWCA were created.

Supreme Court case - People V. Turner - The Court decided it was unconstitutional to hold a juvenile unless a crime was committed and they went through due process.

1824-1899

Juvenile Court Period

1. Children were not inherently bad
2. Juvenile Court Act - separation of adults and children. Delinquents were <16
3. First juvenile court created - Cook County Illinois
4. Social workers started to come into the picture.
5. Established child labor laws

1899-1960

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Juvenile Rights Period

1. Divorces increased
2. More women went into the workforce.
3. Civil rights movement
4. Changed LE policies for fingerprints, photographs, etc.
5. Public unrest because status offenders were being housed with violent delinquents.

Supreme Court Case - Gault V. Arizona - The Court decided there was a violation of the 14th Amendment, Gault was denied the right to an attorney, was not informed of his charges, and did not get the right to confront his accusers.

1960-1980

Crime Control Period

1. Switched to the justice model instead of the medical model.
2. Proliferation of gangs
3. Increase in violent juvenile crime
4. Widespread drug abuse
5. In some states, parents could be held liable for their child's criminal conduct.

1980 – present

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