The History and Evolution of the Juvenile Justice System Essay

The history of the juvenile justice system is a mixture of the criminal justice system, family court, child protective services, social services, orphanages, adoption and humanitarian growth. (Schmalleger, 2007) Where a child fit into the system would depend on the crime, family pedigree, financial standing, color and social status. Children of color would be treated harsher than whites, Indian children were treated worse than African American Children, and status was determined by the color of your skin. Children of color would be given a death sentence before a white child and those with financial means could buy a pardon or parole. (Hopkins, 2008) From America’s beginning we modeled our criminal codes and punishments after England’s. England did not make allowances for the age or maturity of an offender, punishments ranged from flogging, mutilation, branding, public humiliation (stockades), work houses, exile and other forms of torture and every person was subject to them no matter the age; we carried this tradition with us to the colonies. (Roberson, 2007) In the nineteenth century we began what I feel is more of a social services program that was in fact an attack on the poor but the juvenile system calls the child-saving movement. This movement focused on the dangerousness and immorality that was believed to go hand in hand with being underprivileged. The â€Å"House of Refuge† that were privately or community funded opened in New York in 1825; (Larry J. Siegel, 2008) it was believed to be a family environment but was in fact a work house and functioned much like the later industrial prisons (1890-193 5) that fell out of favor because of the economic impact on the U.S. economy. (Schmalleger, 2007)pg. 490) Americans were mu... ...ved January 2, 2011, from ExecutedToday.com: http://www.executedtoday.com/2008/12/20/1786-hannah-ocuish-age-12/ Larry J. Siegel, B. C. (2008). Juvenile Corrections. In B. C. Larry J. Siegel, Juvenile Delinquency The Core, third edition (pp. 336-368). Belmont: Thomson Wadsworth. Larry J. Siegel, B. C. (2008). The History and Development of Juvenile Justice. In B. C. Larry J. Siegel, Juvenile Delinquency The Core, third edition (pp. 259-283). Belmont: Thomson Wadsworth. National Orphan Train Complex. (n.d.). Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved January 9, 2011, from National Orphan Train Complex: http://www.orphantraindepot.com/FrequentlyAskedQuestions.html Roberson, W. S. (2007). Procedures in the Justice System. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall. Schmalleger, F. (2007). Criminal Justice Today, ninth edition. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall.