Juvenile Offender System Discussion

Juvenile Justice System

The Juvenile Justice system was out in place to ensure that minor offenders are mainly protected from the harsh environment of adult remand and prison systems. Everywhere in the world, it is known that the adult prison systems pose huge threats to the involved prisoners and most times, several of the prisoners have to develop a thick skin in order to survive this. For this reason and several others, it was unanimously decided that individuals under the age of eighteen undergo a juvenile correction system in an attempt to have them correct their behaviors and to make the victims of their actions feel compensated. It was also put in place to change the individuals to better citizens so that they do not repeat the offenses.

The state of Mississippi is not left out in this. It embraces the Juvenile correction system and follows the steps outlined by the most court systems worldwide. To begin with, an arrest warrant is made. With this, the officers involved locate the involved persons and place them under arrest. Most of the times the arrests are non-violent but there are some cases in which violent arrests can be made as in the cases of the involvement of firearms and robberies with violence among others. Once this is done, the individual is placed under detention awaiting preliminary hearing of their case. During this period, their parents are allowed to visit throughout the day in the first 24hours after which they will visit according to the stipulation of the detention center. Following this, they are arraigned in court where their charges are read to them.

Prior to this, they are given an attorney who works in the best interest of the child always and ensures they get a fair trial. Before appearing in court, they meet and the attorney reads their charges and ensures they understand whatever they are leveled against. This attorney takes them through what is to happen to ensure they get a smooth proceeding. Once in court, the charges are read in the presence of the minor, the probation officer, the deputy district attorney, the parents if available and the court clerk.

Once the judge or the jury make a conviction, they schedule a disposition hearing. This hearing most often takes place approximately following the first arraignment. It is in this disposition hearing that the judge will decide whether to issue a warning, offer restitution, impose a fine, give the delinquent time in community service, offer probation, grant foster care or out-of-home placement, or detention. All these depend on the nature of the offence conducted.