Juvenile Delinquency

Too Young to Commit Adult Crimes

Rita Kramer’s “Juvenile Justice Is Delinquent” first published in the Wall Street Journal on May 27, 1992, although very well written, fails to make the reader change any preconceived notions that he or she may have concerning the juvenile justice system.

In this essay, Kramer argues that the juvenile court system is not helpful. Although, her basis is fine, Kramer's ideas are not realistic. Throughout the essay, she points out where the system is deficient; however, Kramer does not offer reasonable solutions to fix these problems. She argues that the system fails to rehabilitate its juvenile convicts. Kramer states,” “It has become the lawyer’s job not only to protect his young client from punishment. But from any possibility of rehabilitation in the system’s various facilities” (657).

From the beginning, Kramer begins to attack the one person that she wants to work with to reach her goal. The lawyers are one of the most important parts of the legal system, yet Kramer sees it differently. Kramer sees the lawyers of the juvenile legal system as ineffective. Kramer unfairly puts the entire blame for the problems that hinder the legal system on