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Juvenile Justice

A Guide to Finding Government Information

Web version of this guide includes links to web resources.

Search Tips:

Mix and match these terms in searching the library catalog, WestCat , or use them to search journal articles and law reviews via the library's Databases page. You can also use them to search government information sites listed on our Starting Points page - click the tab and pay particular attention to the Top Six.

  • juvenile delinquency
  • juvenile justice
  • corrections
  • court
  • detention homes
  • problem youth
  • rehabilitation
  • occupational training

Related Topics:
  • poverty
  • gangs
  • school violence

An important source for many research topics is Congress. Congressional committees and subcommittees hold hearings on a wide variety of controversial and timely subjects. Simply add the word "hearing?" to a search string in WestCat .

Search Engines

Google and StartPage
Use these search engines to search for government information by typing "site:gov" in the search box preceding your search terms:

  • site:gov "juvenile court"
Federal Government Information
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

This agency under the Department of Justice issues grants, reports, and statistics on the various aspects of juvenile justice.
http://www.ojjdp.gov/

Juvenile Justice Accountability and Improvement Act of 2007

The focus of this hearing is an Act, yet to be passed, that would right perceived wrongs in the administration of juvenile justice by forcing states to provide the opportunity for parole for juveniles sentenced to life in prison, something that only happens in the U.S.
http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS109923

Juvenile Suicide in Confinement: a National Survey

This report discusses youth suicides occurring in correctional facilities, their causes and risk factors, and the need for prevention programs. 2009
http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS108966

Trying Juveniles as Adults in Criminal Courts: An Analysis of State Transfer Laws and Reporting

This document explains transfer mechanisms by which juveniles are placed in the criminal justice system at the state level for serious crimes and describes case movement from criminal court to juvenile court.

Youth Prison Reduction through Opportunities, Mentoring, Intervention, Support, and Education (PROMISE) Act

This hearing discusses legislation intended to improve the situation of disadvantaged youth by turning the cradle-to-prison pipeline into a cradle-to-college pipeline.
http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS124865
Y 4.J 89/1:111-86

Juvenile Felony Defendants in Criminal Courts

This website presents findings on juvenile felony defendants tried as adults. A 75-county comparison is made between the number of juveniles tried as adults versus the number of juveniles tried in juvenile court.

Juvenile Justice Statistics, 2009

Statistics on cases by how they were adjudicated, by gender, by age, and by offense are among the many data you'll find here.
http://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/239114.pdf

Juvenile Residential Facility Census, 2008: Selected Findings

This bulletin describes where and under what conditions juvenile offenders are placed when taken out of the home by the juvenile court system.
https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/231683.pdf

Youth Courts: an Empirical Update and Analysis of Future Organizational and Research Needs

This report focuses on the potential value of youth courts to the juvenile justice system.
https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/222592.pdf

Illinois Government Information
Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission

This commission issues reports on the administration of juvenile justice in Illinois, including critical analysis of administrative procedure and guidelines for improvement.
http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=32000

Youth Reentry Improvement Report

This report addresses failings in the Illinois juvenile justice system responsible for youth reincarceration.
ILLINOIS 364.36 I29yri

Legal Information
Illinois Juvenile Law and Practice

This legal reference book gives lawyers an overview of the juvenile justice process and assists in preparing for a juvenile court case in the state of Illinois. 1997.
LEGL REF KFI 1794 .I44 2007

The Juvenile Justice System: Law and Process, 2nd ed.

This book includes a western world history of juvenile justice and chapters on juvenile rights and the juvenile judicial process.
LEGL REF. KF 9780 .C58 2002

Cases and Materials on Juvenile Justice Administration, 3rd ed.

The author begins with a detailed history of juvenile justice in the United States and continues with chapters on police interrogation and juvenile criminal procedure.
LEGL REF. KF9779 .F45 2009

http://wiu.edu/libraries/govpubs/guides/juvenileJustice.php

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