U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Right to Counsel in Juvenile Court: An Empirical Study of When Lawyers Appear and the Difference They Make

NCJ Number
116684
Journal
Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology Volume: 79 Issue: 4 Dated: (Winter 1989) Pages: 1185-1346
Author(s)
B C Feld
Date Published
1989
Length
162 pages
Annotation
This article analyzes variations in rates of representation and the impact of counsel in juvenile delinquency and status proceedings in Minnesota in 1986.
Abstract
The right to counsel in juvenile court is discussed, with special emphasis on the Gault case. This case mandated procedural safeguards in the adjudication of delinquency. Data and analyses utilized in the article are presented, including petitions and offenses, source of referral, rates of representation, representation by counsel and age of juveniles, and present offense and disposition. An analysis of prior offenses is presented to determine their relevance to the eventual disposition a juvenile receives. The juvenile's pretrial detention status is also examined for subsequent disposition. Demographic characteristics, such as race and sex, are presented with respect to sentencing variables. Multiple regression equations for the appointment of counsel, pretrial detention, out-of-home placement, and secure confinement dispositions are analyzed. A discussion of policy implications is presented. 53 tables, 356 references.