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Status offenses
1Commonweal Juvenile Justice Program, Marin County, CA, USA.
The Future of Children
|January 1, 1996
Summary
Public policy on juvenile status offenders is shifting away from deinstitutionalization. Factors like inadequate services and public fear of crime are increasing calls for stricter sanctions, including incarceration.
Area of Science:
- Public Policy
- Criminology
- Juvenile Justice
Background:
- Juvenile status offenders engage in noncriminal behaviors like truancy and running away.
- Federal policy in 1974 promoted deinstitutionalization and community-based programs for these youths.
- Most states initially adopted this policy, reducing detention rates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine factors eroding the commitment to deinstitutionalization of juvenile status offenders.
- To analyze the tension between providing services and imposing sanctions on at-risk youth.
Main Methods:
- Review of federal and state policies regarding juvenile status offenders.
- Analysis of factors contributing to policy shifts.
- Reference to recent surveys and reports on juvenile misbehavior.
Main Results:
- Commitment to deinstitutionalization is weakening due to several factors.
- Inadequate development of youth and family services is a key issue.
- Public concerns about juvenile crime and calls for discipline are rising.
Conclusions:
- Policymakers face pressure to balance support services with punitive measures for status offenders.
- The trend indicates a potential return to harsher sanctions, including incarceration.
- Urgent need for adequate services to uphold deinstitutionalization principles.