Assignment task: One of the seminal issues in the study of Juvenile Delinquency today revolves around the question of "waiver" or the practice of transferring a juvenile's case to an adult court for trial. We have come a long way since the days when all juveniles were adjudicated in a juvenile court. But now, delinquent acts committed by juveniles have become so frequent and so heinous as to call for more serious punishment that can only be delivered by an adult court judge.
Briefly summarize the arguments both for and against waiver. Then take a position on the issue of waiver.
Where do you come down, and why? In so doing you may wish to examine how countries other than the United States deal with waivers. For example, with respect to the Death Penalty, we here in the United States are very clearly in the minority of Western civilized nations: we're for it, and most of them are against it.
But how about with respect to waiver? How do other countries handle waivers? Are we taking an overly conservative position? Or has the frequency and violent nature of criminal acts perpetrated by juveniles in this country required a tougher stance on the waiver? Should the pendulum of the implementation of our juvenile justice system be leaning in the direction of trying to rehabilitate juvenile offenders? Or in the other direction: that is, speaking for the victims of juvenile crime, and mandating more harsh penalties?