Volume 2.1 - Crime and Punishment- Fall 1997

Title: A Response to S 10: The Case for Gun Control and Early Intervention in Juvenile Delinquency-Prevention Legislation

Author: Kristeen G. McLain

Abstract: A proposed reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (S 10) would remove important federal protections for children in custody, increase the opportunities to jail children with adults, and provide for prevention and intervention efforts only a small fraction of the billions of dollars proposed for incarceration. This bill reflects current popular sentiment that violent juvenile crime is best addressed by inflicting more severe punishment on youth offenders and treating juveniles as adults. Yet severity of punishment is not necessarily the best deterrent for juvenile delinquency. This paper examines current crime statistics and trends to determine what role the juvenile plays in the overall escalation of violent crime. By examining the external and internal causes of delinquency, I suggest that effective juvenile justice policy, both legislation and social programs, should incorporate multiple components: strong intervention and prevention efforts, both early on in life and throughout the course of adolescent development, and effective gun control laws. Unlike the proposed S 10 programs, successful deterrence and cessation policies of juvenile crime must incorporate a comprehensive agenda that includes not only sanctions and jail sentences, but also gun control and other prevention efforts.

About the Author: Kristeen G. McLain is a master's candidate at the Harris School of Public Policy and has worked with the Child Welfare League of America.

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