Early treatment of juveniles focused on punishing offenders who were capable of understanding their offenses. Today, the juvenile justice system has developed as a more benevolent, less formal alternative to the adult system, in which rehabilitation, not punishment, is the desired outcome.
In a minimum of 250 words, post to the Discussion Area your responses to the following:
Do you think rehabilitation should be the most important goal of the juvenile justice system? Why?
During the course of processing a youthful offender, under what circumstances, if any, should the juvenile justice system abandon rehabilitation and focus on punishment?
What criteria should be used when deciding whether to focus primarily on punishment? Explain.