Journalfor Week of 2/10/2012
Journal/Article due 2/13/2012

"Under our Constitution, the condition of being a boy does not justify a kangaroo court. The traditional ideas of Juvenile Court procedure, indeed, contemplated that time would be available and care would be used to establish precisely what the juvenile did and why he did it..."
-In re Gault, 387 U.S. 1 (1967)

Read the Gerald Gault Case in class that Ms W gives you and answer the questions.

Gerald Gault Questions

  1.  Who was Gerald Gault?  What did he do that got him into trouble with the police?

  2.  What happened to Gault after the police took him to the juvenile detention home?

  3.  What were some of the differences between the adult criminal justice system and the juv3enile justice system that Gault encountered?  How do the purposes of each sysem differ?

  4.  In what way was the Gault’s treatment by the Arizona courts Fair?  In what way was it unfair?

  5.  What arguments did Gault’s lawyer present to the U.S. Supreme Court?

  6.  How did Arizona defend the operation of its juvenile justice system and its treatment of Gerald Gault before the Supreme Court?

  7.  What did the Supreme court decide in this case?  What reasons did it give for its decision?  Did the Court give juveniles all of the rights that adults have?  Explain.

  8.  In recent years, many states have passed laws that require that juveniles charged with certain serious offenses be tried in adult courts, what are the advantages/disadvantages of trying them in the adult court?  List three of both.

Extra Credit

Beyond the Castle Doctrine

Current information about the bill

What is the Castle Doctine Law that MN currently has?

What is the proposed change to this law?

What are the pro's to this change?

What are con's to this change?

What do the police officials say about this change in the law?

What other law changes/additions does the bill contain?