From Playpens to Prisons: What the Gang Violence and Juvenile Crime Prevention Act of 1998 Does to California\u27s Juvenile Justice System and Reasons to Repeal It

This comment will explore the most significant changes that the Gang Violence and Juvenile Crime Prevention Act (GVJCPA) made to California\u27s juvenile justice system. It will also discuss and propose alternative methods to curb juvenile crime. Part II will examine the juvenile justice system, including the context in which it was created, and juvenile crime across the country. It will then discuss how courts, legislatures, and local governments have confronted the changing nature of juvenile crime, focusing on efforts in California. Part II will also include an introduction to the GVJCPA. Part III will discuss the most important changes that the GVJCPA has made to the juvenile justice system. Part III will also examine the history of the incarceration of juveniles and the transfer of juveniles to the adult criminal courts. Part IV critiques the changes discussed in Part III. Part V proposes a reformed juvenile justice system, designed to implement the rehabilitative philosophy upon which the system was originally founded. Finally, Part V, will explain various reasons to repeal the most damaging Sections of the GVJCPA