Assignment #2 – Chapters 4, 5, & 6
This week’s lesson covers chapters 4, 5 and 6. You are required to read these chapters and complete the following assignment. Write at least one page or 300 words and indicate your word count at the end of your writing. Draw inferences from the text to support your discussion.
Answer ONE of the following:
1. What is the rationale for prohibiting the death penalty for juvenile offenders? Review the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2005 decision in Roper v. Simmons (http:// www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/04pdf/03-633.pdf). Identify and critique the major arguments that guided the Court’s decision. (Chapter 4)
OR
2. Design a training module to improve police–juvenile intervention. What components and strategies would you include in your module? How do you think your training module will improve police–juvenile communication and relations? (Chapter 5)
OR
3. Discuss if incarceration should be used in excess for punishing juvenile offenders? Under what circumstances do you think that incarceration should be used? Why do you think that youth who are in institutions for long periods of time are more likely to recidivate? (Chapter 6)
Weekly Readings: Chapters 4, 5 and 6 of the textbook.
This week (06/06/2021 – 06/13/2021) you are required to read Chapters 4, 5, & 6 of your text and respond to assignment No. 2 (provided in the Assignment folder). You are also required to participate in the following discussion question. Your original discussion post should not be less than 200 words to earn the full grade.
Discuss ONE of the following questions substantially and respond to 2 other students’ discussion posts:
Discussion for this week’s forum:
1. In re Gault (1967) was a landmark decision that changed the course of juvenile justice in the United States. Discuss how the juvenile justice system would be different today if the Court had not ensured due process rights for juvenile offenders.
OR
2. How do youth attitudes and demeanor affect how police respond to youth? What influences police use of discretion?
OR
3. Do you think that minority youth are disadvantaged at the intake stage? Discuss why?
Assignment #3 – Chapters 7, 8, & 9
This week’s lesson covers chapters 7, 8 and 9. You are required to read these chapters and complete the following assignment. Write at least one page or 300 words and indicate your word count at the end of your writing. Draw inferences from the text to support your discussion. You are required to cite and quote some sections of the text to support your argument.
Answer ONE of the following:
1. Under what circumstances are public defenders appointed for juveniles? Do you think that different types of defense counsel, public or private, make a difference in juvenile proceedings? Why? (Chapter 7)
OR
2. Waiver is an important decision in determining how to handle juvenile offenders. Review the methods of transferring jurisdiction of cases from juvenile to adult criminal court. Discuss in detail Who should be most responsible for making the decision: judges, prosecutors, or legislatures? (Chapter 8)
OR
3. In determining dispositions, how should juvenile court judges evaluate youth who have been exposed to violence and traumatic experiences? Review the objectives of the U.S. Department of Justice Defending Childhood Initiative available at http://www.justice.gov/defendingchildhood/about-initiative.html. Explain the relationship of exposure to violence and delinquency. (Chapter 9)
Weekly Readings: Chapters 7, 8 and 9 of the textbook.
This week you are required to read Chapters 7, 8, & 9 of your text and respond to assignment No. 3 (provided in the Assignment folder).
You are also required to participate in ONE of the following discussion question and respond to at least two students’ discussion posts. Your original discussion post should not be less than 200 words to earn the full grade.
Answer ONE of the following.
Discussion for this week’s forum:
1. Should states maintain the confidentiality of juvenile records? Why, or why not?
OR
2. What are the implications of processing a juvenile offender in the adult criminal court? When should a juvenile offender be transferred to the adult system?
OR
3. Discuss the role victims should have in juvenile court dispositions? What is the rationale of having the juvenile offender write an apology to the victim?
Merlo, A.V. & Benekos, P.J. (2019). The Juvenile Justice System: Delinquency, Processing, and the Law 9th ed. NY:
Pearson. ISBN: 10: 0-13-481331-6 ISBN: 13: 978-0-13-481331-8
