ABSTRACT
The juvenile justice system is a separate and parallel justice system to the adult criminal system. One major difference between the juvenile and adult justice systems is that the juvenile system handles both delinquents and status offenders. Consistent with the dramatic decline of crime among adults, the crime rates of juveniles have also dramatically decreased. Juvenile gangs have been associated with a range of criminal activity, up to and including murder. Contrary to the popular belief that drugs are a greater problem in minority communities, a recent study found that minority youths were much less likely to have cocaine addiction than Whites in a longitudinal study of a sample of juveniles detained in Cook County (Chicago) during 1995-1998. Girls comprise about 30 percent of all juvenile arrest/referrals. Probation is the oldest and most widely used model of community-based corrections.
