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Why We Can't Wait: The Juvenile Court in the New Millennium

NCJ Number
169395
Journal
Crime & Delinquency Volume: 44 Issue: 1 Dated: special issue (January 1998) Pages: 83-88
Author(s)
G Hatchett
Date Published
1998
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article discusses changes to the juvenile justice system.
Abstract
The major theme of this article is the need for the juvenile court to focus on early intervention and prevention-based programming to address the needs of America's children. Effective intervention must include zero tolerance for "poverty pimps" who are more concerned about funding cycles and administrative overhead than programming integrity and for "broken promises programs." Officials cannot continue to allocate time, money, and resources to agencies, people or programs that have not demonstrated a clear commitment to children and families. Often drug abuse is at the core of children's issues. The court must intervene to ensure that effective substance abuse treatment and education is available for children and their families. Community-based programs must be developed and connected with the juvenile court to provide wraparound services that attack the foundation of the problem in the community.