A Return to Justice: Rethinking our Approach to Juveniles in the System
Authored by Ashley Nellis, Senior Research Analyst at The Sentencing Project, A Return to Justice examines how the original aim of the juvenile justice system — to consider children’s unique status and amenability for reform — has eroded, with increasing reliance on court systems that do not account for their young age.
Related to: Youth Justice, Sentencing Reform, Incarceration, Racial Justice
A Return to Justice traces the evolution of the juvenile justice system over many decades.
Authored by Ashley Nellis, Senior Research Analyst at The Sentencing Project, A Return to Justice examines how the original aim of the juvenile justice system — to consider children’s unique status and amenability for reform — has eroded, with increasing reliance on court systems that do not account for their young age.
Nellis describes how the stated intent of the juvenile justice system has fluctuated since its inception, with attention to the critical role that race has played in creating — or failing to create — a juvenile justice system that is suitable for children. But she also notes the growing appreciation of the role of adolescent development, crippling racial and ethnic inequalities, and the profound impact of school discipline policies in criminalizing youth behavior that have created a hopeful moment for the original vision of juvenile justice to emerge again.
The book is published by Rowman & Littlefield and is available from the catalog and national booksellers.
