Juvenile Justice 

Overview

Action for Children works to ensure that all court-involved minors have access to developmentally appropriate, research-based services they need to turn their lives around.

Current scientific research on adolescent brain development shows that teenagers’ brains are still developing adult reasoning capabilities and that environmental influences affect this development.  Additionally, research and data show that as teens brains catch up with the rest of their bodies, most youth, even those who were involved in the juvenile justice system, become mature, law-abiding adults.  Research and experience show that adolescents are at a vulnerable stage in life when adult behaviors are more accessible, but they do not have the same capacity to regulate these behaviors as adults do.  During this time, adolescents are particularly susceptible to making the kinds of poor decisions that get them involved in the criminal justice system. 

Adolescence is a time of tremendous opportunity, but to maximize this opportunity, teenagers must be provided appropriate guidance, a nurturing environment and support.  These types of  positive experiences, relationships and role models can help prevent youth from becoming involved in criminal activity and help those who are already involved in the criminal system get back on a positive pathway to adulthood.  North Carolina’s Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (DJJDP) is structured to provide developmentally appropriate services, treatment and punishments. 

Did you know?  North Carolina is one of only three states that treat youth as young as 16 as adults for any crime they commit.

Main Areas of Work in Juvenile Justice

• Services and Education for Youthful Offenders: Action for Children advocates for the development of a comprehensive plan detailing how to ensure developmentally appropriate, research-based services and treatment for court-involved minors including 16- and 17-year-olds. 
• Juvenile Crime Prevention Council (JCPC) Funding: Action for Children supports allocating adequate funding for community juvenile justice programs and services, increasing funding to reflect higher demand for services and conducting meaningful evaluation and technical support for research-based juvenile programs and services.
• Disproportionate Minority Contact: Action for Children strives to identify, share and promote evidence-based programs to reduce disproportionate minority contact in the criminal systems.
• Reducing Youth Violence: Action for Children promotes programs and strategies that prevent youth violence and provide comprehensive treatment, services and supports when necessary.

Examples of Recent Juvenile Justice Policy Successes Include:

• Ensuring recurring and increased funding for Juvenile Crime Prevention Councils;
  
• Promotion of education alternatives for incarcerated youth so they are ready to re-enter our communities as productive citizens; 
• Promotion of smaller, more treatment-intensive facilities to adequately help youth involved in the juvenile justice system; and
  
• Creation of Juvenile Crime Prevention Councils.

Signature Juvenile Justice Publication

Putting The Juvenile Back Into Juvenile Justice - December 2007

Action for Children's newest report discusses the latest scientific research on adolescent brain development, showing that while teenagers may physically resemble adults, neurologically, their brains are still developing and are extremely susceptible to environmental influences.  The report also finds that in North Carolina youth who serve adult time are more than twice as likely to be reconvicted of crimes as youth who receive juvenile services.