Juvenile Court Proceedings

. The juvenile justice system is an institution in society that is granted certain powers and responsibilities. It faces several different tasks, among the most important is maintaining order and preserving constitutional rights. The conflict arises when public expectation of order collides with the right of young people to be on the street. The police have a high level of contact with people under the age of 18. UCR data indicate that juveniles account for about 17% of all arrests and nearly 29% of arrests for Index crimes. When juveniles "hang out" on corners or ride around town, they create citizen conflict, regarding the use of public space. The term juvenile delinquent was established so that young lawbreakers could avoid being classified in legal records as criminals. The laws were designed to provide treatment, rather than punishment, for juvenile offenders. The justice system is trying to change the way it deals with the American youth. Juveniles know that much of the law is written for adults therefore abuse the system. Kids are aware that if they are caught shoplifting the punishment for such crime would be a slap on the wrist. Furthermore they know that unless they commit a serious offense such as murder, rape or armed robbery the punishment will be light.

The establishment of protective measures for guarding the privacy of youth offenders can be traced back to the separation of juvenile courts from criminal courts in 1899. The first juvenile court was established in Chicago, IL in 1899. (Clapp 1995). It was designed to spare juveniles from harsh proceeding of adult court, conditions of adult jails and penitentiaries, and the label of criminal. That is still the goal of juvenile court today.

In the following pages I will discuss the juvenile court process in South Carolina and how it compares to the adult court process. I will also discuss the benefits and disadvantages of juvenile court from the perspective of a youth offender. I will conclude with my