An in-depth look at zero tolerance policies. 
https://sites.duke.edu/education303final/an-in-depth-look-at-zero-tolerance-policies-and-racial-biases/ 
4 
Conclusion 
The juvenile court has its own philosophy, the court system, and correctional institutions that differ 
from the adult criminal justice system. The major difference between the juvenile justice system and the 
adult system is its focus on rehabilitation. The juvenile justice system uses private, informal hearings, and 
individualized justice to act in the best interest of the delinquent youth. 
The past century has witnessed a marked change in the way the law deals with youth. From the inception 
of the juvenile justice system in 1899 to the ruling of Mongomery v Louisiana in 2016, the pendulum of 
juvenile justice swings from a parens patriae model of protection of youth to juvenile waiver, fear of youth 
crime, and punishment, back to incorporating brain research in assessing rehabilitation. The juvenile justice 
system was designed to treat juveniles differently from adults and take their unique needs and circumstances 
into consideration. Youth are malleable and can change their trajectories with the right treatment and 
intervention at the right time. 
4. Urbina, I. (2009, Oct. 1).  It’s a fork, it’s a spoon, it’s a….weapon? The New York Times.  https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/12/
education/12discipline.html 
Introduction to the American Criminal Justice System
415