Empowering Love and Respect for Child Offenders Through Therapeutic Jurisprudence: The Teen Courts Example

Sociology and Anthropology 4(4): 212-221 (2016)

10 Pages Posted: 7 Apr 2016

See all articles by Lynne Marie Kohm

Lynne Marie Kohm

Regent University - School of Law

Alison Haefner

Regent University, School of Law, Students

Date Written: April 4, 2016

Abstract

This article provides a viable alternative to traditional juvenile justice. A juvenile justice system essentially rests on the tradition of the best interest of the child standard, and is applied to the extent that the child is not transferred to adult criminal courts but sought to be rehabilitated in a court designed to meet the needs of children. Current juvenile justice systems, however, are in somewhat of a crisis. For example, for four decades the United States government has increased funding for incarcerating American youth, who are otherwise not a danger to public safety, in adult-like prisons. This trend has perpetuated juvenile crime into a lifestyle, and placed juvenile offenders at grave risk for abuse and a criminal future. Juvenile courts do not appear to be adequately handling juvenile crime, nor are they necessarily leaders in helping children in rehabilitation away from crime. In fact, the focus of the system is retributive, whether by intent or by caveat.

Combating this problem, a fascinating trend is emerging in juvenile justice - teen courts. As peer-based forums appearing in pockets throughout the United States, these teen courts are designed to actively draw the child into his or her own criminal process. Allowing the law to work as a therapeutic agent. We posit that the teen court process empowers children with respect from peers, family and community because of the therapeutic manner of administering the law to the child offender.

Keywords: juvenile justice, therapeutic jurisprudence, teen court, rehabilitation

JEL Classification: K1, K10

Suggested Citation

Kohm, Lynne Marie and Haefner, Alison, Empowering Love and Respect for Child Offenders Through Therapeutic Jurisprudence: The Teen Courts Example (April 4, 2016). Sociology and Anthropology 4(4): 212-221 (2016), Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2759034

Lynne Marie Kohm (Contact Author)

Regent University - School of Law ( email )

1000 Regent University Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23464
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.regent.edu/kohm

Alison Haefner

Regent University, School of Law, Students ( email )

Virginia Beach, VA 23464
United States

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