ABSTRACT
Since the 1980s, juvenile justice policies have been both punitive and progressive. Most notable among harsh sanctions were changes to state statutes which not only made it easier to try juveniles as adults, but also resulted in more youth being incarcerated in adult institutions. Simultaneously, there are signs of an emergent reaffirmation of the juvenile court’s original mission; specifically, a more rehabilitative and community-based response to youthful offending. For example, California’s SB 81, signed into law in 2007, designates a different direction in the treatment of youth. The legislation precludes counties from committing nonviolent juvenile offenders to the Division of Juvenile Justice, and authorizes block grant funds to local jurisdictions to create alternative treatment options (Commonweal, 2007). Although this is one state’s recent response, it is indicative of a greater emphasis on the community’s role in preventing and rehabilitating youth and a policy that focuses on deinstitutionalization of juveniles.
