Learning Objectives

  1. Describe how adolescents are different from young adults, developmentally, socially, cognitively, and biologically.
  2. Explain how zero-tolerance-focused juvenile justice and school-based discipline policies afford little flexibility and reinforce punishment pathways.
  3. Discern the important role police officers have in front-line delinquency decision-making.
  4. Discuss the process of delinquency adjudication and how it opens the door to further juvenile and adult justice involvement.
  5. Examine the impact of detention and incarceration placements on youthful offenders, including reduced chances for rehabilitation and increased trauma experiences.
  6. Appraise the impact of transfer laws on adolescents held in adult correctional facilities.
  7. Summarize the current laws and recent changes on youthful offenders transferring to the adult criminal justice system.