Question 1

Murder is an example of a status offense.

Accepted Answer

Murder is not a status offense. Status offenses are crimes that only apply to certain groups of people, such as curfew violations for minors or truancy for students. Murder is a serious criminal offense that applies to all individuals regardless of their status.

Question 2

A comprehensive set of guidelines for juvenile offenders that was based on sentencing in relation to the seriousness of the crime, rather than on the needs of the youth, was known as the Juvenile Fair Sentencing and Reformation Act.

Accepted Answer

The correct name of the act is the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, and it focuses on rehabilitation and treatment rather than just punishment based on the seriousness of the crime.

Question 3

All of the following dispositions are available to juveniles who are transferred to adult court except :

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court ruled in the case of Roper v. Simmons (2005) that it is unconstitutional to impose the death penalty on juveniles, even for premeditated homicide. Therefore, option D is not available for juveniles who are transferred to adult court.

Question 4

Only adults can be placed in pretrial facilities.

Accepted Answer

Minors can also be placed in pretrial facilities if they are being charged as juveniles.

Question 5

Which type of waiver to adult court automatically transfers perpetrators to adult court?

Accepted Answer

Statutorial exclusion automatically transfers juveniles to adult court, regardless of the discretion of the judge or prosecutor.

Question 6

Police officers are only allowed to use discretion with adult offenders.

Accepted Answer

Police officers are allowed to use discretion with both adult and juvenile offenders. However, the extent of discretion may vary depending on the situation and jurisdiction.

Question 7

Determinate sentencing is a new form of sentencing structure in juvenile justice, and in some jurisdictions it is replacing the traditional form of indeterminate sentencing.

Accepted Answer

Determinate sentencing is indeed a new form of sentencing structure in juvenile justice, and in some jurisdictions, it is replacing the traditional form of indeterminate sentencing.

Question 8

At what age do most states consider transferring juveniles to adult court for major felonies?

Accepted Answer

Most states consider transferring juveniles to adult court for major felonies starting at age 14, although this can vary depending on the state and the specific circumstances of the case.

Question 9

Blended sentencing is defined as the imposition of juvenile and/or adult correctional sanctions on serious and violent juvenile offenders who have been adjudicated in juvenile court.

Accepted Answer

Blended sentencing refers to the imposition of both juvenile and/or adult correctional sanctions on serious and violent juvenile offenders who have been adjudicated in juvenile court.

Question 10

Both juvenile and adult courts use proof beyond a reasonable doubt as the standard for evidence.

Accepted Answer

Both juvenile and adult courts in the United States use proof beyond a reasonable doubt as the standard for evidence in criminal cases. This means that the prosecution must present evidence that convinces the jury or judge that there is no other logical explanation for the crime other than that the defendant committed it. This standard is the highest level of proof in the U.S. legal system.

Question 11

Age determines the jurisdiction of the juvenile court.

Accepted Answer

Juvenile court has jurisdiction over the cases involving minors who are under a certain age, which varies by state but is typically between 16 and 18 years old.

Question 12

Which case decided that a juvenile who commits a non-homicide crime cannot be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole?

Accepted Answer

In Graham v. Florida (2010), the Supreme Court decided that the Eighth Amendment's prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment prohibits a sentence of life without parole for a juvenile offender who commits a non-homicide crime. This decision extended the Court's earlier ruling in Roper v. Simmons, which abolished the death penalty for juveniles. Therefore, option A is the correct answer.

Question 13

Treatment provided to juveniles in a public versus an institutional context is called community treatment.

Accepted Answer

Community treatment refers to treatment provided to juveniles in their respective communities rather than in institutional settings.

Question 14

Plea bargaining may only be used with adult offenders.

Accepted Answer

Plea bargaining can also be used with juvenile offenders in certain instances.

Question 15

What is the most widely used transfer mechanism when sending juveniles to adult court?

Accepted Answer

Judicial waiver is the most widely used transfer mechanism when sending juveniles to adult court. This is a process in which a juvenile court judge waives jurisdiction over a juvenile and transfers the case to adult criminal court for prosecution. The judge considers a variety of factors, including the seriousness of the offense, the juvenile's age and prior record, and the likelihood of rehabilitation in the juvenile justice system. This process allows the juvenile to be tried and punished as an adult, with potentially more severe consequences.

Question 16

Females in juvenile institutions are characterized by which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Females in juvenile institutions are indeed fewer than males, more likely to be incarcerated for status offenses (behaviors that are not law violations for adults, such as truancy or running away from home), and they are not generally incarcerated for longer terms than males; however, the statement that encompasses all aspects of their characterization is that all of these statements contribute to the overall portrayal of females in juvenile institutions.

Question 17

According to the text, juvenile court proceedings are open to the public.

Accepted Answer

Juvenile court proceedings are typically closed to the public to protect the privacy of minors and encourage rehabilitation over punishment.

Question 18

The majority of incarcerated youths in the United States are charged with all of the following except :

Accepted Answer

The majority of incarcerated youths in the United States are not primarily charged with murder. Most youth incarcerations are for non-violent offenses, such as assault, drug-related offenses, and property crimes.

Question 19

Due to their possible lack of education and cognitive abilities, juveniles do not receive Miranda warnings and other constitutional rights at time of arrest-they must wait to have counsel present.

Accepted Answer

Juveniles are entitled to Miranda warnings and other constitutional rights at the time of arrest, similar to adults, to ensure their protection and fair treatment under the law.

Question 20

What is the juvenile equivalent of parole in the adult criminal justice system?

Accepted Answer

Aftercare is the closest equivalent to parole in the juvenile justice system. Aftercare provides support and supervision for juveniles who have been released from custody to help them successfully transition back into the community. It includes regular meetings with a probation officer, counseling or therapy, and access to other services and resources that can help the juvenile stay on track. Boot camp and wilderness programs are both types of juvenile correctional programs, but they do not serve the same function as parole. Probation is a form of supervision that is used in both the adult and juvenile justice systems, but it is not the same as parole. Probation is typically used as an alternative to detention or incarceration, whereas parole is used to supervise offenders who have been released from custody.

Quiz 13: The Juvenile Offender