JUVENILE JUSTICE
Capital Punishment for Juvenile Offenders
AUGUST 1983
BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Bar Association opposes, in principle, the imposition of capital punishment upon any person for any offense committed while under the age of eighteen (18).
Juvenile Court Defense & Prosecution Enhancement
AUGUST 1984
BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Bar Association urges the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the United States Department of Justice to support the implementation of adequate defense and prosecution services in the nation's juvenile courts.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the assessment and support of adequate defense and prosecution services receive priority attention by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
Juvenile Justice Act Reauthorization
FEBRUARY 1992
BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Bar Association supports the reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act only so long as Congress conducts comprehensive public hearings to determine the effectiveness of the Act and to examine its future goals and objectives.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that in the event Congress decides to reauthorize the Act, any such reauthorization should include: adherence to unbiased, responsible agenda for research, development and demonstration programs; diversification of training; guarantees of juveniles' right to counsel; improvement of conditions of confinement; and a commitment to alternatives to confinement; a prohibition on secure confinement status offenders; elimination of waivers for States which do not comply with the Act's objectives; and strict Congressional oversight of the Act and its implementation.
Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Act Reauthorization
AUGUST 1995
BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Bar Association supports the reauthorization of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, urges Congress to conduct hearings on the Act, and supports adequate funding to facilitate ongoing implementation of the Act.
Juvenile Justice Standards
FEBRUARY 1980 and FEBRUARY 1979
BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Bar Association adopt Standards for Juvenile Justice as set out in Tentative Drafts, dated 1977 (as amended in the appendix to the report) as follows: Court Organization and Administration; Juvenile Probation Function, and Juvenile Delinquency and Sanctions. [Note: the ABA deferred action on the Non-Criminal Misbehavior volume of the Standards and took no action on the Abuse and Neglect volume. Neither of these two volumes was ever approved as ABA policy.] [At its February 1979 Meeting, the ABA had approved 17 other volumes of the Standards for Juvenile Justice series: Adjudication; Appeals and Collateral Review; Architecture of Facilities; Corrections Administration; Counsel for Private Parties; Disposition Procedures; Dispositions; Interim Status; Juvenile Records and Information Systems; Monitoring; Planning for Juvenile Justice; Police Handling of Juvenile Problems; Pretrial Court Proceedings; Prosecution; Rights of Minors; Transfer Between Courts; and Youth Service Agencies.]
Mental Health Problems of Juvenile Offenders
FEBRUARY 2004
RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges Congress to enact legislation that would address the complex problem presented by the large number of…juveniles with mental health or emotional illness or disorders who come into contact with the criminal juvenile justice systems; such legislation should provide for: (More...)
Racial & Ethnic Justice for Youth in the Juvenile System
AUGUST 2003
RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association encourages state, local
and territorial bar associations, judges, prosecutors, defenders and
police to instill public confidence in the fairness of the justice
system by making concerted efforts to assure that the justice system
provides fair and equal treatment for all youth. (More...)
Teen Courts for First-Time Juvenile Offenders
AUGUST 1995
BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Bar Association encourages state and territorial legislatures, court systems, and bar associations to support and assist in the formation and expansion of diversionary programs, known as Youth Courts, where juvenile participants, under supervision of volunteer attorneys and advisory staff, act as judges, jurors, clerks, bailiffs, and counsel for first time juvenile offenders who are charged with misdemeanors and consent to the program.
