Juvenile Justice Professionals' Perceptions of Youth
Authors: Wilson-McCoy Katherine , Peck Jennifer 
Published: September 2024

According to statistics provided by the US Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, approximately 722,600 delinquency cases were processed in juvenile court in 2019. While this is the fewest number of cases since the mid-1970s, it is still apparent that youth continue to encounter the juvenile justice system each year. Within this system, there are several types of juvenile justice professionals and stakeholders that engage in numerous types of decision-making about youth (e.g., case processing, final case outcomes, supervision, treatment, and services, etc.) Juvenile justice professionals include police officers, probation officers, judges, jurors, correctional staff, lawyers (prosecutors, defense attorneys), treatment providers, and case managers, and each can make decisions about youth at one or many different stages of the juvenile justice system. Understanding stakeholder perceptions about youth is a crucial component of the juvenile justice system as a whole, as decision-makers, such as law enforcement officers, courtroom actors, social workers, etc. all play pivotal roles in shaping youths’ experiences and opportunities both within and after their time in the system. These views have a significant impact on the resources, support, and guidance provided to youth, which impacts their well-being, shapes their identity, and ultimately, their behavior. Furthermore, issues such as stereotypes, implicit or explicit biases, and misconceptions can then be identified and addressed, which can foster more compassionate, empathetic, and supportive relationships between stakeholders and youth. Police officers can be considered a gateway to the juvenile justice system for youth, while juvenile probation officers can interact with youth at the beginning, middle, and end of the juvenile court process. Naturally, interacting with justice-involved youth can translate to different types of perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes that are held by these stakeholders. As the roles, orientations, expectations, and responsibilities of each type of professional are different (yet may overlap), research has shown that juvenile justice professionals have both similar and different types of viewpoints of youth. These perceptions can also vary depending on the characteristics of youth and the reason for why they are involved in the juvenile justice system in the first place. For example, differing perceptions about youth have occurred due to their race/ethnicity, sex, mental health diagnoses, substance use, family environment, demeanor, risk for recidivism, and need for specific treatment/programming. Stakeholder characteristics also impact perceptions of justice-involved youth, such as their sex, level of education, age, and orientation for rehabilitation or punishment. Finally, understanding how different countries, societies, and cultures perceive and respond to delinquent behavior can help the juvenile justice system in the United States identify alternative approaches, strategies, and prevention/intervention mechanisms that may be more effective or suitable in certain contexts. Specifically, comparative studies across countries can shed light on disparities in access to justice, highlight best practices, and encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing.