Juvenile justice advocacy : by Douglas J. Besharov Practising Law Institute (810 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019), 1974, 558 pp., hardcover—$25.00

Abstract

This chapter examines the critical decision points in juvenile court: intake, detention, waiver and other means of getting youths to adult court, adjudication, and disposition. It discusses the roles the various court personnel play and should play in the court process and describes what happens when a juvenile sus­pect goes through the juvenile court process. The chapter also examines some of the controversial issues facing juvenile court today, such as the question of the impact of race on decision­ making and whether juveniles should have the right to a jury trial. The ideal of a beneficent court system has not always been reached. Sometimes, for exam­ple, detention facilities have been deteriorating physical facilities concealing punitive practices. The attorneys in juve­nile court are confused about their role and often have high caseloads that prevent effective representation of juveniles. Many juveniles do not even have attorney representation. Despite the history of civil rights legislation and concern, sometimes race appears to be a factor in juvenile court deci­sion making. Most recently, critics have become concerned about juvenile crime and the adequacy of the juvenile justice system to handle the serious offender. Thus, increased use of waiver, legislative exclusion, and prosecuto­rial waiver and of other more punitive measures such as blended sentencing characterize many juvenile court systems.