ABSTRACT
In July of 1999, Chicago celebrated the centennial of the Cook County Juvenile Court. However, this cause for celebration also gave rise to a reevaluation and, in a number of instances, harsh criticism of the courts trajectory With the recent cases of several young children accused of homicide in Chicago, some court and public officials had reverted back to the idea that these offenders be tried as adults in criminal courts. Others, however, have questioned the extent to which young children can understand the serious consequences of their crimes or understand the waiving of their Miranda rights. On a larger scale, scholars and practitioners have questioned to what extent the juvenile court has strayed from its original mission as a kindlier, gentler alternative to the adult criminal court of 1899 in its attempts to rehabilitate, not punish, youthful offenders.
