Almost every state has revised its juvenile code in the last decade in reaction to perceived increases in significant, persistent, and violent child crime. These amendments reduce the jurisdiction of juvenile courts by transferring more children from juvenile courts to criminal courts so that young offenders can be sentenced as adults. Changes to juvenile sentencing legislation raise the severity of the penalties available to juvenile court judges. Other approaches seek to “blend,” or combine, juvenile and criminal court jurisdiction and sentencing authority over violent young offenders. 

These “tough on crime” policies affect the number and type of youths incarcerated in adult and juvenile correctional facilities, posing fundamental problems for administrators in both systems; hasten procedural, jurisprudential, and substantive convergence between the juvenile and criminal justice systems; and undermines the rationale for a separate juvenile court.

Public anger with crime, anxiety of a recent increase in youth violence, and the racial characteristics of violent young offenders fuel the urge to “get tough” and give political push to prosecute more youths as adults.

Understanding the magnitude of youth incarceration necessitates a complete picture of how many justice-involved youths are removed from their homes each year – detained, committed, jailed, and imprisoned. Data-driven conversations about youth incarceration should focus on annual admissions rather than the one-day statistic published by NCJJ. Anyone who is detained faces the risks of placement and jail. Annual totals and rates should be emphasized by both advocates and legislators.

There are several strategies that the criminal justice system can adopt to combat youth violence. Some of these strategies include:

Prevention Programs: The criminal justice system can develop and implement programs that target at-risk youth and provide them with skills and resources that can help prevent them from becoming involved in violent activities.

Diversion Programs: The criminal justice system can establish diversion programs that allow young offenders to avoid incarceration and instead receive rehabilitation and treatment services.

Community Policing: Law enforcement agencies can adopt community policing practices that emphasize building positive relationships with youth and communities to reduce crime and violence.

Restorative Justice: The criminal justice system can adopt restorative justice practices that focus on repairing harm caused by crime, rather than solely punishing offenders. This approach can help address the root causes of youth violence and reduce recidivism.

Gun Control: The criminal justice system can implement stricter gun control laws to prevent youth access to firearms, which are often used in violent crimes.

Mentoring Programs: The criminal justice system can collaborate with community organizations to establish mentoring programs that pair young people with positive role models who can provide guidance and support.

Overall, a comprehensive approach that combines prevention, intervention, and rehabilitation strategies can be effective in combating youth violence and reducing the likelihood of future violent behavior.