Young people are fascinated by juvenile crime and justice topics because they are exposed to these subjects daily through the media, school security, and other everyday experiences. Tapping this interest, Youth Justice in America directly engages the broadest range of high school students in an exciting and informed discussion of the U.S. juvenile justice system.
Youth Justice in America combines thoughtful commentary with selections from actual federal and state constitutional criminal law cases to explore issues of juveniles and justice. The book addresses tough, important issues that are part of many high school curriculums and directly affect today′s young people, including:
- How should we balance liberty with the need for an ordered society?
- How do we enforce order while maintaining constitutional rights?
- Should we treat juveniles differently than adult offenders?
Focusing on cases that relate to the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution, the subject matter comes alive through a unique blend of content, including:
- Selections from key cases that affect students;
- Easy-to-read definitions of important terms and concepts;
- Sidebar features;
- Engaging photos;
- Individual and class exercises;
- Age-appropriate sources for further reading.
Following in the footsteps of CQ Press′s acclaimed We the Students, Youth Justice in America fills a pressing need to make legal issues personally meaningful to young people. Written in a straightforward style that will appeal to all students, from high risk groups to AP classes, this is an essential acquisition for all libraries that serve students and teachers at the high school or undergraduate level, as well as public or subject-specific libraries whose patrons want information on political science, criminal justice, social work, and education. This resource is informed by the authors′ ongoing participation in the Marshall-Brennan Constitutional Literacy Project.
Jamin B. Raskin is professor of constitutional law and the First Amendment at American University Washington College of Law and founder of its Marshall-Brennan Fellows Program, which places law students in public high schools to teach the We the Students constitutional literacy course. A former assistant attorney general for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Raskin is an active public interest lawyer, defending the rights of political expression and participation for both adults and young people. He is also the author of Overruling Democracy (2003) and dozens of law review articles, op-eds, and essays on constitutional law.
