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Canyon College

online juvenile justice course

COURSE SYLLABUS: Juvenile Justice

Course Title:
Department:
Instructor:
Prerequisites:
CJ450 - Juvenile Justice
Criminal Justice
Don E. Peavy, Sr., J.D. E-Mail - Vita
None


PURPOSE OF THE COURSE

This course is an introduction into juvenile justice. It explores all phases of the contemporary juvenile justice system and examines the nature of delinquency, classifications of juvenile offenders, alternative explanations for juvenile misconduct, juvenile courts and juvenile rights, and corrections. By the conclusion of this course, students should have an understanding of the juvenile justice system, how it came to be what it is, and be cognizant of some of the major issues confronting that system today.

REQUIREMENTS Online Bookstore
  1. Readings. The required text is Rolando V. del Carmen and Chad R. Trulson’s Juvenile Justice: The System, Process and Law, (Hardback) Thomson Wadsworth, (2005/2006). ISBN-13: 9780534521585 ISBN: 0534521584 There will also be occasional court cases and other short readings.

  2. Conferences. Students may schedule up to two Internet conferences between the student and the professor. These may be scheduled at any time. Of course, students may ask questions of the professor at any time by sending an E-mail to the address at the link above.

  3. Exams. There will be two exams: a mid-term exam and a final exam. The exams will cover the assigned readings. In addition, each week students are required to answer the discussion questions and e-mail the answers to the professor.

  4. Each week students will answer Discussion Questions based on the readings and activities for that week. The questions should be answered and emailed to the instructor. Please copy and paste your answers into an email and do not send them as attachments. Be sure to include the course number and the week of the assignment.

  5. Grades. Course work will be weighted as follows:

    Midterm Exam 30 Points
    Discussion Questions 30 Points
    Final Exam 40 Points
    Total 100 Points


  1. Grading Scale.
90 - 100 Points A - Excellent
80 - 89 Points B - Above Average
70 - 79 Points C - Average
60 - 69 Points D - Below Average
59 points and below F - Failing Grade


A = Clearly stands out as excellent performance. Has unusually sharp insight into material and initiates thoughtful questions. Sees many sides of an issue. Articulates well and writes logically and clearly. Integrates ideas previously learned from this and other disciplines. Anticipates next steps in progression of ideas.

B = Grasps subject matter at a level considered to be good to very good. Is an active listener and participant in chats, message boards, e-mails and conferences. Speaks and writes well. Accomplishes more than the minimum requirements. Work is of high quality.

C = Demonstrates a satisfactory comprehension of the subject matter. Accomplishes only the minimum requirements, and displays little or no initiative. Communicates at an acceptable level for a college student. Has a generally acceptable understanding of all basic concepts.

D = Quality and quantity of work is below average and barely acceptable.

F = Quality and quantity of work is unacceptable.

ASSIGNMENTS

Week One: Read Chapter 1. An Overview of Juvenile Justice. “Chapter 1 is a general overview of the major aspects of juvenile justice covered in the text. In this overview, significant concepts are defined and discussed; a brief history of juvenile justice is presented; the similarities between juvenile and adult justice are examined; the terms “juvenile” and “delinquency” are defined; the scope of the juvenile court and justice system is examined, and the general stages and process of the juvenile justice system is presented.”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
  1. Name two factors that have been used to support the treatment of juveniles differently than adults in the criminal justice system. Do you agree that these factors warrant different treatment of juveniles?
  2. Should juveniles be involved in the criminal justice system? Why or why not?
  3. What is juvenile delinquency?
  4. Distinguish between delinquents and status offenders.
  5. Define parens patriae. Why is this concept important to understanding juvenile justice?
  6. In your opinion, why do most adjudicated delinquents receive probation instead of institutionalization?
Week Two: Read Chapter 3. Juveniles and the Police. “Chapter 3 examines juveniles and the police. Special attention is paid to the difference between the procedures employed in an adult arrest versus a juvenile being taken into custody. This chapter also examines police discretion when arresting juveniles including a focus on legal and extra-legal factors. One of the distinguishing differences between an arrest of an adult or taking into custody of a juvenile is that in some situations, a juvenile may be taken into custody with less than probable cause. This is especially the case when a juvenile is in danger of being harmed.”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
  1. What is one form of juvenile conduct under police scrutiny that is usually never under scrutiny for adults?
  2. What Supreme Court case governs the stop and frisk of persons? What level of proof must a police officer have to stop and frisk an individual?
  3. What are three legal factors that influence the decision to take a juvenile into custody?
  4. What are three factors that should never constitute the basis of whether a juvenile is arrested or not?
  5. What standard must public schools officials have to search a student?
  6. Miranda warnings must be given when a person is under custodial interrogation. Explain in detail what “custodial interrogation” entails.
Week Three: Read Chapter 4. Intake and Diversion. “Chapter 4 examines the intake and diversion (or adjustment) process in juvenile justice. It first covers the intake process, who are intake officers, and the procedure and decisions made by intake officers. It then covers the legal rights of juveniles at intake. Next, Chapter 4 examines the diversion process including but not limited to what diversion is, its justification in juvenile justice, and examples of diversion programs.”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
  1. What types of information do intake officers gather when deciding to dismiss, divert or file a delinquency petition?
  2. Why do prosecutors play a larger role during intake today than in the past?
  3. What is a critical stage? Why have some courts decided that intake is not a critical stage?
  4. What is the significance of the Minnesota v. Murphy decision concerning the admissibility of intake information during adjudication proceedings? Should this case apply to juvenile intake conferences? Why or why not?
  5. What is the general rule concerning the admissibility of information gathered at intake during an adjudication hearing?
  6. What is diversion? What are some benefits of using diversion for juveniles and the juvenile court?
Week Four: Read Chapter 5. Status Offenders, Dependent and Neglected Youths, and Juvenile Victimizations. “Chapter 5 covers the structure, process, and legal rights of status offenders and dependent and neglected youth in juvenile justice. Chapter 5 also covers juvenile victimizations beyond dependency and neglect.”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

None for this week. Please take the mid-term exam. The exam is open book and will cover all of the chapters covered through this week.

Week Five: Read Chapter 6. Detention and Transfer to Adult Court. “Chapter 6 explores two important pre-adjudication procedures in the juvenile justice system. The first two sections of the chapter explore juvenile detention and the rights of detained juveniles. The last sections of Chapter 6 explore juvenile transfer or waiver to adult court, the different types of waiver mechanisms, and whether waiver is accomplishing its goals.”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
  1. What are two factors juvenile court judges evaluate in a detention hearing before a juvenile may be detained in a juvenile detention center?
  2. What is the rationale for denying juveniles a constitutional right to bail?
  3. In your own opinion, do you believe juveniles who are detained while they await their adjudication hearing are more likely to be adjudicated and receive a harsher sentence than those not detained before their adjudication hearing? If so, why? If not, why?
  4. What forms of evidence may a juvenile court judge consider in a detention hearing? Why are some forms of evidence allowed in a detention hearing but not typically in an adjudication hearing?
  5. List the three purposes or goals of juvenile transfer to adult court?
  6. If you were a juvenile prosecutor, which transfer mechanism would you be likely to use and why?
Week Six: Read Chapter 7. The National Court System and the Juvenile Court. “Chapter 7 examines the court system in the United States with special attention paid to juvenile courts. It begins with an overview of the state and federal court system and then covers several pertinent areas such as the appeal process, federal versus state jurisdiction, and judicial precedent.”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
  1. If the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals decided a case holding that mentally challenged juveniles cannot be institutionalized for acts committed before their fourteenth birthday, in what states is this decision binding?
  2. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that juveniles do not have a constitutional right to a jury trial. Why is it that in some states, juveniles have a right to a jury trial?
  3. Was the formation of the juvenile court in Cook County the first sign that children were being viewed and treated differently than adults? Explain.
  4. Who were the child-savers? Why do you believe women took the role as child advocates in the early twentieth-century?
  5. Why did the early juvenile court consider constitutional protections for juveniles as unnecessary and an impediment to rehabilitation?
  6. In terms of court organization, what are some problems with today’s juvenile court? What are two proposed alternatives for addressing these problems?
Week Seven: Read Chapter 8. Adjudication of Juveniles. “Chapter 8 examines the adjudication process for juveniles. The first sections of Chapter 8 examine what adjudication was and what it is now and the differences between juvenile adjudication and the adult criminal trial. Next it examines the procedure during adjudication, the rights of juveniles during adjudication, constitutional rights during trial not given to juveniles, and the exclusionary rule as it applies to the adjudication hearing.”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
  1. How has the role of juvenile court judges changed over the years?
  2. Discuss the similarities and then the differences between juvenile adjudication and adult criminal trial.
  3. Prior to 1967, juveniles were not given constitutional rights during trial. Explain why.
  4. Why are juveniles not entitled to the constitutional right of trial by jury?
  5. What did the Court say in In Re Gault? Why is that case significant?
  6. “A juvenile is entitled to a lawyer only during adjudication.” Is that statement true or false? Explain.
  7. What does the case of Breed v. Jones say and why is that case important for juveniles?
Week Eight. Read Chapter 9. Disposition and Appeal. “Chapter 9 examines the disposition and appeal process for delinquents. The first sections of Chapter 9 examine the goals and nature of dispositions in juvenile justice including the various types of dispositions. It also examines a relatively new form of disposition scheme called blended sentencing and the legal and constitutional rights of juveniles during disposition. It ends with a discussion of a juvenile’s right to appeal.”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
  1. What are the five general goals of disposition? Describe each.
  2. Why do juvenile court judges have more discretion in dispositions than adult judges have in sentencing?
  3. What is blended sentencing? Give an example.
  4. What are the various kinds of disposition? Describe each.
  5. Give distinctions between informal and formal probation.
  6. Distinguish between a fine and restitution.
Week Nine. Read Chapter 10. Juvenile Probation and Parole. “Chapter 10 examines juvenile probation and parole (or aftercare) including other community-based programs for juvenile offenders. The first sections of Chapter 10 examine the similarities and differences between probation and parole. Section three examines the organization and administration of parole around the nation. Sections four and five examine supervision conditions associated with probation and parole including the goals of supervision and the duties of juvenile probation and parole officers.”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

None. Please take the final examination. The final exam is open book and covers all of the materials read and discussed since the mid-term exam.