Courses 2013 - 2014

LAW B 517 Juvenile Justice Seminar

Credits: 1-6, Max 6

In the past few years, the US Supreme Court has begun to reshape how juveniles are treated when they commit criminal offenses. These cases (all 5-4 decisions) address both pre-adjudication and sentencing issues and illustrate the tensions that exist in how the justice system deals with adolescent criminal behavior. This course will examine the foundations of the juvenile justice system, how it has and is being reshaped by the US Supreme Court, and how Washington and other states treat juveniles in both their juvenile and adult criminal systems. The course will also discuss who gets brought into the juvenile justice system and what their prospects are once they have been processed as juvenile delinquents or young offenders.