Volume 2.1 - Crime and Punishment- Fall 1997

Title: Treating Juvenile Offenders as Adults: Wise Policy or Reactive Politics?

Author: Wendy H. Perlmutter

Abstract: The United States Senate and House of Representatives are considering legislation that will provide $1.6 billion to states that toughen their treatment of juvenile offenders. Currently, a vast majority of states have laws on the books that reduce the age at which children can be tried as adults in criminal court. Political pressure is mounting for passage of such measures, in large part due to the widespread public belief that the juvenile crime rate is rapidly on the rise and that a new class of "superpredatory" youth has emerged. At all levels of government, legislators are demanding that children who commit serious crimes be punished severely, drastically altering the juvenile court's longstanding mission to rehabilitate youth offenders. Before reaching such a conclusion, however, policy makers would be wise to explore alternatives that provide long-term treatment, counseling, and intervention services for juvenile offenders. Several model programs are in place around the nation that are working to prevent violent crimes and curb juvenile recidivism.

About the Author: Wendy H. Perlmutter is a Finance and Policy Analyst for the Children and Family Justice Center's Clinical Evaluation Initiative at the Northwestern University School of Law. She recently received her M.P.P. from the Harris School of Public Policy.

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