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 Ratings
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| Reviewed: |
Jun 10, 2008 by Criminal Justice Editorial Board |
| Overview: |
Professionally created by PBS, this site presents four case studies of juvenile offenders that have committed offenses in California which could be tried either in juvenile or adult court.
Opinions and comments of various decision makers are included. |
| Learning Goals: |
Opportunity for students to think critically about issues rekated to trying juveniles as adults. |
| Target Student Population: |
Undergraduates |
| Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills: |
General understanding of the criminal justice system
Basic computer skills |
| Type of Material: |
Case study |
| Recommended Uses: |
Use as introductory material prior to a discussion of reverse certification of juveniles for serious offenses.
Use as background material for an online dscussion of trying juveniles as adults. |
| Technical Requirements: |
Browser |
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| Strengths: |
The presentation is clear and concise.
The material lends itself to a variety of teaching and learning models. |
| Concerns: |
All case studies are from California and may not be representative of other states.
Comments of decisionmakers are not supported by citations.
Citations that are given are only found on a Facts, Statistics, & History page.
Material is seven or more years old. This can be a long time in juvenile law.
The site claims to include video clips, but there are none, still pictures only. |
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Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool |
Rating:     |
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| Strengths: |
Legal concepts are presented in plain language.
The complexity of the decisions involved is clearly presented.
Case studies include both violent and property offenders. |
| Concerns: |
Comments of judges and other decision makers are anecdotal.
Although several experienced decision makers point out problems with the juvenile justice process, none make any specific recommendations for change. All suggestions can be summarized as: more community involvement, more investment in resources, and earlier intervention; none of these terms are specifically defined or explained.
Ten of the nineteen external links in the Facts, Statistics, and History section of the site are nonfunctional. |
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Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty |
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| Strengths: |
Website is well organized, and the links to other pages and sites are logically organized and labeled. |
| Concerns: |
The site is not interactive.
The site description describes videos, but they are not in evidence. |
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