Question 1

These seventeenth-century laws sent vagrants and abandoned children to landowners or shopkeepers as indentured servants.

Accepted Answer

The Poor Laws, particularly the Elizabethan Poor Law of 1601, were designed to address poverty and vagrancy in England by providing relief to the poor, which often included sending vagrants and abandoned children to work as indentured servants for landowners or shopkeepers.

Question 2

In England, this was established to assist in dispensing justice when common-law courts failed to resolve a case.

Accepted Answer

The Chancery court was established in England to provide remedies when the common-law courts were unable to offer a solution, often dealing with matters of equity.

Question 3

This term refers to the philosophy that the government is the ultimate guardian of all children.

Accepted Answer

Parens patriae is the legal principle that the state has the authority to act as a guardian for those who are unable to care for themselves, such as minors. This concept is often invoked in legal matters involving the welfare of children.

Question 4

In which case did the Supreme Court set forth that the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments forbid imposition of the death penalty on offenders who were under the age of 18 when they committed their offenses?

Accepted Answer

Roper v. Simmons (2005) established that it is unconstitutional to impose capital punishment for crimes committed while under the age of 18, citing the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments. This decision was based on the evolving standards of decency that mark the progress of a maturing society.

Question 5

In 1899, this state established the first U.S. juvenile court system.

Accepted Answer

Illinois established the first juvenile court system in the United States in 1899, marking a significant shift towards a more rehabilitative approach in dealing with young offenders.

Question 6

These were founded to help impoverished children, but were often dangerous places where older children preyed on younger children.

Accepted Answer

Houses of refuge were established in the early 19th century as part of the child-saving movement, aimed at reforming children through work and moral instruction. However, they often became overcrowded and conditions were harsh, leading to environments where older children could easily prey on younger ones.

Question 7

Which is the major difference between the modern adult criminal and juvenile courts?

Accepted Answer

The major difference between modern adult criminal and juvenile courts encompasses all of the listed options: informal hearings, a focus on rehabilitation, and individualized justice, reflecting the juvenile system's broader approach to addressing youth crime.

Question 8

This is a session that takes place without a jury before a judge in which evidence and/or arguments are presented to determine some factual or legal issue.

Accepted Answer

A hearing is a session that occurs before a judge without a jury, where evidence and/or arguments are presented to resolve a factual or legal issue. Trials, on the other hand, typically involve a jury and are more formal proceedings to decide the outcome of a case. Civil suits refer to legal disputes between parties, and disposition is a term that refers to the final settlement or conclusion of a legal case, not the process described.

Question 9

In which case did the courts reinstate some of the due-process rights of children?

Accepted Answer

All of the choices listed, Breed v. Jones, Kent v. United States, and McKeiver v. Pennsylvania, involve landmark decisions by the courts that, in various ways, reinstated or affirmed due-process rights for juveniles in the legal system. These cases collectively contributed to the establishment and clarification of legal standards and protections for minors.

Question 10

In this case, the Supreme Court established that if incarceration or loss of freedom is possible, a case against a juvenile must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt.

Accepted Answer

In re Winship established the standard that in juvenile delinquency cases, the state must prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt if incarceration or loss of freedom is a possible outcome, aligning juvenile court procedures more closely with adult criminal court standards.

Question 11

In this case, the Supreme Court established juveniles' right to an attorney, as well as the right to confront accusers and protection from self-incrimination.

Accepted Answer

In re Gault was the landmark Supreme Court case that established juveniles' rights to an attorney, the right to confront accusers, and protection from self-incrimination, significantly reforming the juvenile justice system.

Question 12

The juvenile justice system is responsible for dealing with .

Accepted Answer

Status offenders are juveniles charged with or adjudicated for conduct that would not, under the law of the jurisdiction in which the offense was committed, be a crime if committed by an adult. This includes behaviors like truancy, running away from home, underage drinking, and curfew violations. The juvenile justice system specifically addresses the legal issues and rehabilitation of such youths, not children with bad grades or lonely children, which are not legal matters.

Question 13

Which of the following institutions is least connected to juvenile delinquency?

Accepted Answer

The media, while influential in shaping perceptions and potentially glamorizing certain behaviors, is less directly connected to juvenile delinquency compared to poverty, schools, and neighborhoods, which have more immediate and tangible impacts on youth behavior and opportunities.

Question 14

Which is a major difference between the adult and juvenile justice systems?

Accepted Answer

The major difference between the adult and juvenile justice systems lies in the nature of the trial. Juvenile proceedings are typically more informal and focus on rehabilitation, whereas adult trials are formal and focus on punishment. Protections from self-incrimination and the right to an attorney are provided in both systems.

Question 15

Cases enter the juvenile justice system by a process called a .

Accepted Answer

Cases enter the juvenile justice system through a process called a referral, which can come from various sources such as law enforcement, schools, or social services.

Question 16

Which is not a typical requirement for prehearing detention?

Accepted Answer

Typically, a youth's parents asking the police to detain the youth is not a standard legal basis for prehearing detention. Prehearing detention decisions are usually based on legal criteria such as the severity of the offense, the youth's history with the legal system, and concerns about the youth's appearance at court or risk to the community, not parental requests.

Question 17

This is when the parties to a lawsuit accept a judge's order based on an agreement made by them instead of continuing the case through a trial or hearing.

Accepted Answer

A consent decree is when the parties to a lawsuit agree to a judge's order based on an agreement they've made, avoiding further trial or hearing.

Question 18

This is a period during which a juvenile is required to stay out of trouble or make restitution before the case is dropped.

Accepted Answer

Informal probation is a period during which a juvenile must adhere to certain conditions, such as staying out of trouble or making restitution, without formal court proceedings. If the juvenile complies, the case may be dropped.

Question 19

This is the process in which a juvenile court determines whether the allegations in a petition are supported by evidence.

Accepted Answer

An adjudicatory hearing is the stage in the juvenile justice process where the court determines whether the allegations in a petition against a juvenile are supported by evidence, similar to a trial in adult court but typically less formal.

Question 20

In an adjudicatory hearing, what is another term for the prosecutor?

Accepted Answer

In an adjudicatory hearing, the prosecutor can also be referred to as the petitioner, especially in civil cases or other legal proceedings where they initiate the case.

Quiz 14: Juvenile Justice