Criminal justice professionals seek to serve citizens. This focus on service requires a more nuanced approach to understanding citizen problems. If in the past, the criminal justice system seemed to view crime as a simple either-or choice, contemporary society has highlighted the complexity behind the choices that citizens make. Understanding those choices requires empathy, which in turn requires understanding the viewpoints and biases all professionals bring to their fields—including your own. In this first Journal entry, you respond to a prompt that begins a process of reflection on your own positions.

In 1–2 paragraphs, respond to the following:

How much consideration should be given to a person’s background or life circumstances when decisions are made at critical points in the criminal justice system (e.g., decision to arrest, specific charges, decision to prosecute, sentencing, re-entry plan)?


Learning Resources
Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.

Required Readings
 Krisberg, B. (2018). Juvenile justice and delinquency. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Chapter 4, “The Current Juvenile Justice System” (pp. 51–66)
 Juvenile Justice and Delinquency by Krisberg, B.A. Copyright 2017 by Sage College. Reprinted by permission of Sage College via the Copyright Clearance Center.

 Krisberg, B. (2018). Juvenile justice and delinquency. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Chapter 7, “Is There a Science of Prevention?” (pp. 101–118)
 Juvenile Justice and Delinquency by Krisberg, B.A. Copyright 2017 by Sage College. Reprinted by permission of Sage College via the Copyright Clearance Center.

 Krisberg, B. (2018). Juvenile justice and delinquency. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Chapter 8, “What Works in Juvenile Justice” (pp. 119–134)
 Juvenile Justice and Delinquency by Krisberg, B.A. Copyright 2017 by Sage College. Reprinted by permission of Sage College via the Copyright Clearance Center.

 Peak, K. J., & Madensen, T. D. (2019). Introduction to criminal justice: Practice and process (3rd ed.) Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. 

Chapter 15, “Juvenile Justice: Philosophy, Law, and Practices” (pp. 386–411)
 Introduction to criminal justice: Practice and process (3rd ed.), by Peak, K.,J. & Madensen, T.D. Copyright 2018 by Sage College. Reprinted by permission of Sage College via the Copyright Clearance Center.

Feinstein, R., & Magidson, M. (2017). Challenges to implementing culturally specific models in juvenile corrections. Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 56(2), 137–155. doi:10.1080/10509674.2016.1268234 

Note: Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

May, J., Osmond, K., & Billick, S. (2014). Juvenile delinquency treatment and prevention: A literature review. Psychiatric Quarterly, 85(3), 295–301. doi:10.1007/s11126-014-9296-4

Note: Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

 Montgomery v. Louisiana, 577 U.S. 14–280 (2016). Retrieved from https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/15pdf/14-280_3204.pdf 

 National Institute of Justice. (2018). Crime solutions. Retrieved from https://www.crimesolutions.gov/ 

 Roth, J. J. (2013). Commentary: Place-based delinquency prevention: Issues and recommendations. Journal of Juvenile Justice, 3(1), 110–121. Retrieved from http://ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/docview/1681537814?accountid=14872

 Rovner, J. (2017). Juvenile life without parole: An overview. The Sentencing Project. Retrieved from https://www.sentencingproject.org/publications/juvenile-life-without-parole/

 U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs. (2018). Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.ojjdp.gov/