Juvenile Justice

Catalog description

This course is a detailed study of the juvenile justice system including the substantive issues of delinquency, status offenses, child abuse and neglect, termination of parental rights, adoption and the foster care system. The philosophy, history, and continuing viability of the separate juvenile system are examined as well as recent innovations such as diversionary programs, the Child Welfare Reform Act, deinstitutionalization and the application of criminal sanctions in delinquency cases. The course also examines procedural due process problems and relevant constitutional issues including confidentiality and the right to treatment.