Mass. courts’ juvenile cases plummet

The Boston Globe (12/6/10) featured two front page articles on the real stories behind juvenile crime.  In stark contrast to expert predictions and the nearly constant warnings of rising youth crime, Massachusetts is seeing a significant drop in its juvenile caseload.  Another article highlights the complex issues facing many of these young people.

Drop unexpected in hard times

A 15-year-old left Middlesex Juvenile Court in Lowell with her mother after a recent hearing. (Joanne Rathe/ Globe Staff)

By Peter Schworm Globe Staff / December 6, 2010

LOWELL — Criminal and child welfare caseloads in the state’s juvenile courts have fallen sharply over the past three years despite economic turmoil that has placed enormous strain on many families, a dramatic decline that confounds social workers, lawyers, and child and family advocates.

Restraints in Juvenile Court

On April 5 we posted about the new restraints policy in Massachusetts, limiting the use of shackles for juveniles in court.  On Monday, Suffolk Law School professor Kim McLaurin spoke on NECN about the new policy and how legal advocates were instrumental in its adoption.  See the video here.

New Restraints Policy

One of the topics to be featured at the Suffolk Law School Juvenile Justice Conference on April 30  is the use of restraints  (i.e. shackles) on children when they are in court – and the new policy, which became effective March 1, limiting their use. While we have requested an official copy of the new policy from the Juvenile Court and the Trial Court, we have not yet received it. However, we have received a copy from other sources.

The policy is available as a pdf here:  New Restraints Policy

Tough love in juvenile court

We thought you might also be interested in reading an article in Monday’s Boston Globe, “Tough love in juvenile court” which describes a reporter’s brief observation of a juvenile court session in Pittsfield. The article is also available here. By Karen Shepard | March 1, 2010 DELINQUENCY DAY in Pittsfield’s Berkshire Juvenile Court. It’s 9:15 and Judge Judith Locke is already impatient. One boy has owed fees forever. “Do the math,” she says. “It’s not even 10 cents a day. It’s outrageous.” The bailiff tells the boy to take his hands out of his pockets. The boy, affectless, complies. His phone rings. Judge Locke tells him to leave the room and read the sign outside. He says he knows: no cell phones. She lowers her voice: go read it anyway. Over 40 minutes, she’ll give the boy, his father, or the defense mini-exhortations on respect, responsibility, future plans. She’ll suggest the best way to take Adderall. She’ll praise his penmanship. She knows he’s angry, and he’s entitled to his feelings, but how will he deal with them? He’s welcome to come relate the successes she knows he’ll have.