Transforming Juvenile Justice: Reform Ideals and Institutional Realities,1825-1920 Book

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This was recommended by a fellow librarian and friend who knows I serve on the Juvenile Hearing Board in my town. She thought it would be helpful. Most of the situations presented in the book are a bit more severe than the cases I am involved with, but the book does a great job of taking the reader (an assumed caring adult in the child's life) through the process a child goes through as they are involved with the criminal justice system.

One of the points that really stands out throughout the book is that in the last 20 years or so, there has been a shift in the goals of the juvenile justice system. While the primary target used to be rehabilitation, it now has followed the adult justice system with its focus on punishment. As a result, the young people are not always treated and given sanctions that will help them become productive members of society.

Simkins takes time to highlight what happens and recommended responses to the arrest process, suspect questioning, the detention hearing, plea bargaining, sentencing, residential placement and record expungment. Her focus is always on resolving each situation to the benefit of the involved youth. This does not mean helping her or him get off, but receive the best set of sanctions.

The final section of the book is a series of short chapters that deal with how the system struggles with a number of unique situations: transferring a youth to an adult criminal court, school searches, zero-tolerance policies, special education issues, racial disparities, mental health issues, GLBTQ youth, girls, and charges dealing with sexual offenses. In the process of discussing each topic, she highlights disturbing issues of how the justice system often fails the kids with these attributes and what the involved adults need to do to make sure they are treated fairly by the system, which seems best suited to address the "average" person charged with criminal activity rather than those with unique characteristics.

The book does a nice job of highlighting the unique needs of kids and teens in general and how they might lead to troubles. While this book is primarily written for those with trouble children, it is a nice introduction to those who work with or care for the age group. It addresses the challenges that some of our young people are faced with and suggest the best way to sort through what happened so that everyone benefits in the long wrong.

Sandra Simkins is a specialist in defending young people in the American court system. It is clear that her heart is in the right place, and she is hoping to share her experiences and knowledge to make the juvenile justice system for those who are brought into it. There are a few instances in which the book could have benefited from better proofreading, though, which is surprising from a book produced by a university press.