LibGuides: Children, Youth, and the Law: Juvenile Justice

Overview of Juvenile Justice

Although the Youth & Family Rights clinic does not represent youth in juvenile justice matters, many youth involved in other state systems “cross over” into the juvenile justice system. The below materials provide some basic information about the juvenile justice system, particularly in Massachusetts.

Practice Guides / Secondary Source Materials

An Interactive Overview of the Massachusetts Juvenile Justice System
Overview of the Massachusetts juvenile justice system from the nonprofit organization Citizens for Juvenile Justice. Covers racial and ethnic disparities, the school to prison pipeline, child welfare, immigration, diversion, and sealing & expungement of records.

Guide to Juvenile Court Jurisdiction and Dispositions (CPCS Youth Advocacy Division)
Be sure to validate and update all references to primary law, as this source is helpful but not regularly updated.

Juvenile Law (Massachusetts Practice Series, volume 44A)
See, in particular, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, and Chapter 6 (Department of Youth Services sections).
CPCS Youth Advocacy Division Resources
Publications about what happens in juvenile court.
"The Juvenile Justice Legacy of Chief Justice Ralph Gants"
Boston College Law Review article by Justice Barbara Lent (Ret.). and David Rassoul Rangaviz.

Primary Law: Major MA Statutes & Regs on Juvenile Justice

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 119, § 52-89
Browse through this series of statutes to learn the provisions about "delinquent children" and proceedings against them.
109 CMR
Title 109 of the Code of Massachusetts Regulations contains the regulations of the Department of Youth Services.
Juvenile Court Standing Order 1-17: Violation of probation proceedings
Prescribes procedures in the Juvenile Court to be followed upon the allegation of a violation of an order of probation issued in a delinquency, youthful offender or criminal case after a finding of delinquency, youthful offender, or guilty, or after a continuance without a finding.

Agency Material

Department of Youth Services Policies & Regulations
DYS is the juvenile justice agency of Massachusetts, with jurisdiction over certain youth who are detained awaiting delinquency charges. Some youth held in detention at DYS are in the care or custody of DCF.

Additional Resources

The Gault Center
Resources from the Gault Center, whose mission is promoting justice for all children by ensuring excellence in youth defense. Their resource library provides a wide range of resources for youth defenders, policy advocates, juvenile legal system professionals, youth and families, lawmakers, media, and the general public.
National Center for Juvenile Justice
NCJJ is the oldest juvenile justice research group in the U.S., having conducted national and sub-national studies on crime and delinquency since 1973. It is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is effective justice for children and families through research and technical assistance.