When offenses are neither serious, violent, nor chronic, it is typically viewed as acceptable to let the family take care of the problem. In this context, juvenile court is properly seen as a court of last resort. But at some point, the seriousness, violence, or repetitiveness of a juvenile’s criminality suggests the family should relinquish control and that society should not entrust the problem to the attention and limited resources of the family. In this context, the responsibility for addressing and controlling the problem youth belongs to a “higher” power, namely the juvenile court. The same can be said of the juvenile court and the limits society wants to bestow upon that institution. The juvenile court may be a court of last resort, but it surely is not a court of only resort.
Realizing the Purpose and Benefits of Juvenile Transfer to Criminal Court explains that, at some point, the juvenile court should relinquish control when particularly serious, chronic offending is involved. Society needs to rely upon the criminal court to prosecute some chronic and violent juvenile offenders. It presents the myriad benefits stemming from and purposes served by the prosecution of these youths’ occurring in criminal court. Covering topics such as benefactors of transfer, juvenile court, and moral condemnation, this premier reference source is an excellent resource for juvenile court workers, court administrators, sociologists, criminal court workers, prosecutors, students and educators of higher education, librarians, researchers, and academicians.