1. Juvenile Reform: On the Right Track?
The laws were also largely motivated by concerns for public safety and, with the intention of protecting communities, these policies included harsh long term sentencing requirements for a variety of offenses. ... Similar to mandatory minimum sentencing laws, this mandated that, regardless of mitigating circumstances or situational context, schools must expel any student found carrying a gun on school grounds. ...
The development of problem-solving courts was an innovative response to offenders' problems such as: drug abuse, mental illness, and domestic violence problems. ... Instead of a jail sentence, defendants receive counseling, treatment for their addictions, education assistance, and healthcare support. ... The participants who fail the program routinely receive jail or prison sentences (Rempel 2012). ...