Deck 10: The Juvenile Court Process

Question 1

In 2005, U.S. juvenile courts processed an estimated _______ delinquency cases that involved juveniles charged with criminal law violations.

A) 1 million
B) 500 thousand
C) 1.7 million
D) 2.5 million

Answer 1

C

Question 2

According to Lawrence1983), fewer than _______ of juveniles had a good understanding of their legal rights and the role of an attorney in providing legal counsel.

A) 5%
B) 10%
C) 15%
D) 20%

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Once the juvenile has been adjudicated delinquent, the next stage in the court process is the _________.

A) Disposition hearing
B) Adjudication hearing
C) Sentencing hearing
D) Conviction hearing

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Before juvenile courts had prosecuting attorneys, the _______ generally had the authority to determine whether to file a petition for delinquency.

A) Intake probation officer
B) Juvenile judges
C) Police
D) Probation officer

Question 5

Juveniles younger than 16 at referral accounted for _______ of the delinquency cases processed in 2002.

A) Less than 50%
B) More than 50%
C) More than 75%
D) Less than 10%

Question 6

The number of person offense cases has ________ since 1985.

A) Decreased dramatically
B) Increased dramatically
C) Decreased slightly
D) Increased slightly

Question 7

The proportion of cases involving females between 1985 and 2005…

A) Increased
B) Decreased
C) Remained the same
D) Now same as males

Question 8

______ is an attorney appointed to advocate for and protect the child's best interests.

A) Defense counsel
B) Intake probation officer
C) Guardian ad litem
D) Public defender

Question 9

Probation officers exercise what has been called a _______role in the juvenile court process.

A) Bifurcated
B) Semi-judicial
C) Quasi-judicial
D) Informal

Question 10

_________ juveniles were involved in most of the delinquency cases that juvenile courts handled.

A) White
B) Hispanic
C) Black
D) Asian

Question 11

The ________ is the fact-finding part of the juvenile court process.

A) Disposition hearing
B) Adjudication hearing
C) Sentencing hearing
D) Conviction hearing

Question 12

________ may specialize in areas of law other than criminal or juvenile court matters, and therefore may not provide the most qualified defense counsel.

A) Court appointed attorneys
B) Private attorneys
C) Public defenders
D) Guardian ad litems

Question 13

In many states, fewer than _______ of juveniles receive the assistance of legal counsel.

A) 50%
B) 10%
C) 30%
D) 25%

Question 14

Because of their experience in representing clients in juvenile and criminal court, ________ are generally the most qualified to represent juveniles.

A) Court appointed attorneys
B) Private attorneys
C) Public defenders
D) Guardian ad litems

Question 15

The judge was viewed as a _______ who presumably acted in "the best interests of the child"

A) "family-figure"
B) "parental-figure"
C) "father-figure"
D) "friendly-figure"

Question 16

________ is an alternative to waiver the transfer of juvenile offenders to adult criminal court.

A) Dual sentencing
B) Blended sentencing
C) Mixed sentencing
D) Combined sentencing

Question 17

Probation officers prepare a _________ to assist the judge in the predisposition decision following the adjudication of a juvenile.

A) Presentence report
B) Predisposition report
C) Social history report
D) Disposition report

Question 18

Which of the following types of attorney can be defense counsel in a juvenile case?

A) Private attorneys
B) Court-appointed attorneys
C) Public defenders
D) All of the above

Question 19

________ are state employees who specialize in providing legal counsel for lower-income persons who qualify as indigents.

A) Court appointed attorneys
B) Public defenders
C) Private attorneys
D) Guardian ad litems

Question 20

The juvenile court process consists of two separate parts and therefore is often referred to as a…

A) dual part hearing
B) bipartisan hearing
C) bifurcated hearing
D) dual hearing

Question 21

Most property offense cases have increased since 1985 while drug violations and public order offense cases have decreased.

Question 22

Disposition is based solely on the present charge, not on previous arrests, charges, adjudication or any extra-legal information.

Question 23

Delinquency cases decreased _________ from 1996 to 2005.

A) 8%
B) 15%
C) 24%
D) 32%

Question 24

Attorneys assigned to juvenile court from the prosecutor's office are generally the oldest attorneys with the most experience.

Question 25

Adjudication is based on the present charge, previous arrests, charges, adjudication and any extra-legal information.

Question 26

_________means "in place of the parent."

A) Parens Patriae
B) Parens mens rea
C) Parentis In Parens
D) In Loco Parentis

Question 27

Juvenile court judges were not originally required to have a law degree.

Question 28

The presence of counsel has been found to be associated with more severe dispositions.

Question 29

Juveniles in every state are allowed to waive their right to counsel.

Question 30

The number of delinquency cases in juvenile courts in the United States has increased approximately _________in the past 20 years.

A) 20%
B) 30%
C) 40%
D) 50%

Question 31

The juvenile court process is informal and ________as compared to criminal court proceedings.

A) Incomplete
B) Quasi-civil
C) Punishment oriented
D) Restorative oriented

Question 32

The original juvenile courts were informal and non-adversarial proceedings and therefore typically did not have prosecuting attorneys to present the evidence against the juvenile offender in court.

Question 33

Major changes in the juvenile court began in the ________.

A) 1950s
B) 1960s
C) 1970s
D) 1980s

Question 34

Feld argues that a more formal criminal court hearing would "not" assure that juvenile offenders receive the same due process safeguards and constitutional rights as adults in criminal court.

Question 35

In an EJJ proceeding, the youth is given both a juvenile court disposition and an adult sentence; but the adult sentence is stayed or suspended, while the juvenile court disposition is implemented.

Question 36

The dispositional alternatives available to juvenile courts are the same in every jurisdiction.

Question 37

The juvenile court was originally developed as an informal "quasi-judicial" process that incorporated more civil procedures than criminal court procedures.

Question 38

Juvenile probation officers acquire a greater level of knowledge and insight on the juvenile's background and problems related to the delinquent behavior than either the judge or the attorneys involved in the case.

Question 39

The federal government, through the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, has made the elimination of disproportionate minority confinement a high priority.

Question 40

Even though there may have been sufficient evidence to adjudicate a juvenile, a judge can dismiss the case if there is insufficient evidence that the child needs formal supervision by the court.

Question 41

What are the potential problems with each kind of defense attorney?

Question 42

Explain the juvenile court process.

Question 43

Explain how an EJJ disposition works.

Question 44

Explain 3 of the 5 dispositional alternatives that judges can use in a juvenile case.

Question 45

Explain blended sentencing and include its advantages and research findings.

Question 46

Explain why the deficiencies of non-lawyer judges became readily apparent.

Question 47

The juvenile court has come under criticism from two sides: those who want more control and punishment to hold juvenile offenders accountable; and those who point to social problems that contribute to delinquency. Choose a side and explain the argument behind it.

Question 48

Describe why and how the role of each of the juvenile court officials has changed since the beginning of the juvenile justice system.