Juvenile Justice

3 credits · Undergraduate

This course will offer an introduction to “juvenile justice” systems in the United States. Juvenile justice refers to the legal mechanisms for responding to children who violate the criminal law—thefts, assaults, even homicides—or who break rules that apply only to children—such as running away, truancy, or possessing alcohol or firearms. Juvenile justice systems aspire to reflect the deep differences between children and adults, and to preserve children’s ability to grow into healthy, responsible adults. Those systems also frequently fall short, both reflecting and exacerbating racial disparities. Students will learn to understand and critique concepts such as the “school-to-prison pipeline,” as well as the societal choice to treat some children as legal adults subject to serious criminal sentences such as life without parole. Prerequisite/Corequisite: ULAW 1000. [3]