Keenan - CRJ 323 / Juvenile Justice

Gangs are multifaceted and varied, so any attempt to understand them cannot be restricted to a singular approach. On Gangs provides a diverse and comprehensive survey of the available theories for understanding this social issue as well as the broad range of responses to it.

In 2003, when Terrence Graham was sixteen, he and three other teens attempted to rob a barbeque restaurant in Jacksonville, Florida. Though they left with no money, and no one was seriously injured, Terrence was sentenced to die in prison for his involvement in that crime.As shocking as Terrence's sentence sounds, it is merely a symptom of contemporary American juvenile justice practices. In the United States, adolescents are routinely transferred out of juvenile court and into adult criminal court without any judicial oversight. Once in adult court, children can besentenced without regard for their youth. Juveniles are housed in adult correctional facilities, they may be held in solitary confinement, and they experience the highest rates of sexual and physical assault among inmates.

ch. 1. Are all criminals treated fairly? -- Men suffer more discrimination by the judicial system than women / Richard F. Doyle -- Women suffer more discrimination by the judicial system than men / Correctional Association of New York -- Women in prison are sexually vulnerable / Nicole Summer -- Men in prison are sexually vulnerable / Daniel Brook -- Minorities are unfairly targeted by law enforcement / Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund -- Minorities are not unfairly targeted by law enforcement / New Century Foundation

Understanding corrections -- The history of American corrections -- Corrections and the courts -- Jails -- Community corrections -- Dimensions of community justice -- Prisoners and prison life -- Women offenders and correctional workers -- Juvenile corrections -- Special populations -- Correctional officers -- Correctional counselors and other treatment professional -- Issues in correctional administration and management -- The death penalty in America -- The evolution of corrections : what does the future hold?