Juvenile Justice

Teen Sues Town Over ID on Online Arrest Log

A Rhode Island teenager is suing the town of Madison, Conn., for publishing his arrest at age 17 on an online arrest log. Connecticut law requires that arrest records for those under age 18 “shall be confidential and shall not be open to public inspection,” according to the lawsuit filed…

Dec 4, 2009 7:46 PM CST

Police Use Social Networking to Target Underage Drinkers

At least eight people have been cited by the La Crosse, Wis., police department for underage drinking based on incriminating photos on social media sites. Nineteen-year-old Adam Bauer told the La Crosse Tribune last week that he accepted a friend request last month from a stranger. “She was a good-looking…

Nov 25, 2009 8:59 PM CST

Officer Who Tasered Girl, 10, with Mom’s OK Is Suspended for Not Taping Incident

Called to an Arkansas home after the mother of a 10-year-old girl couldn’t get her to take a shower, an Ozark police officer wound up shocking her briefly with a electronic stun gun last week as she was “violently kicking and verbally combative.” Then Dustin Bradshaw handcuffed the now-unresisting child…

Nov 19, 2009 9:55 PM CST

Roberts Suggests Middle Ground on Life Sentences for Juveniles

The problem of drawing lines became a focus at yesterday’s oral arguments on whether the Constitution bars a sentence of life without parole for juveniles who don’t commit murder. A majority of justices appeared to agree that age should be taken into account when judges impose such a sentence, the…

Nov 10, 2009 1:21 PM CST

Powell Law Firm Dropped as Defendant in Kids-for-Cash Case

The law firm of Robert J. Powell has been dropped as a defendant in a federal tort claim brought over the so-called kids-for-cash case involving $770,000 in kickbacks admittedly paid by Powell to two former judges in Luzerne County, Pa. In exchange, the two judges, Mark Ciavarella Jr. and Michael…

Nov 9, 2009 7:46 PM CST

By the Numbers

22 states The number of states where 7-year-olds can be prosecuted, sentenced and incarcerated as adults for certain crimes. 2 states The number of states (Florida and Pennsylvania) where 7-year-olds can receive a mandatory sentence of life without parole. 703 children The number of children, age 12 and under, judicially…

Nov 2, 2009 2:40 AM CST

Adult Time for Adult Crimes

Is life without parole unconstitutional for juveniles?

Nov 2, 2009 2:20 AM CST

Top Pa. Court Vacates 6,000+ Juvenile Rulings By Ex-Luzerne County Judge

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court today issued an order vacating all juvenile rulings between 2003 and 2008 by former Luzerne County President Judge Mark Ciavarella. The order, which bars retrial of all but a tiny fraction of the rulings, is expected to affect up to 6,500 cases, reports the On Deadline…

Oct 29, 2009 11:32 PM CDT

Gangs Finding Child Prostitution a Less-Risky Alternative to Drug Sales

As authorities yesterday announced charges against nearly 700 individuals and the arrest of 60 accused pimps in a 36-city child-prostitution sweep over a three-day period, the New York Times takes a detailed look at some of the related social issues that make enforcement—and getting endangered teens off the street—difficult. Often…

Oct 27, 2009 11:10 PM CDT

Recent High School Grads Lawyer Up in High-Society Minneapolis Spat

At first the Dayton family—yes, the Dayton department store family—tried to resolve the situation informally. But as a barrage of vandalism, deposits of human waste and the taunting phone calls and notes continued over a period of nearly two years at their exclusive Minneapolis home, they eventually resorted to litigation,…

Oct 13, 2009 10:05 PM CDT

Cub Scout, 6, Broke Weapons Rule With Camping Tool, School Says

Excited about becoming a Cub Scout, 6-year-old Zachary Christie couldn’t wait to use his new camping tool. But when he brought out the utensil—which can be used as a knife, a fork and a spoon at lunch at Downes Elementary School in the suburbs of Wilmington, Del., officials concluded it…

Oct 13, 2009 8:51 PM CDT

Sotomayor Takes Her Seat

First Amendment, legal advice cases on new term’s docket

Oct 2, 2009 2:10 AM CDT

Law Firm Sues D.C. Area Court Clerk, Claims $73K in Unpaid Fees

A Virginia law firm has sued the court clerk in Fairfax, claiming it is owed $73,000 for work in dozens of juvenile cases. Lawyers Michael Arif and Matthew Greene said they sued after the court clerk failed to respond to repeated requests for information about the unpaid vouchers, some that…

Sep 16, 2009 2:09 PM CDT

Longtime Judge Now Helps Others Growing Up on Wrong Side of the Tracks

Growing up in a working-class ethnic neighborhood in New York City, Michael Corriero seemed a lot likelier to wind up standing in front of a judge than sitting on the bench himself. But a strict religious education helped put him on a path toward law school. After 28 years on…

Sep 15, 2009 12:20 AM CDT

Probe Finds No Evidence of Threats Against High-Profile Teen Runaway

An Ohio teen caused a furor when she ran away to Florida, claiming that she was at risk of a so-called honor killing if she continued to live with her Muslim family after converting to Christianity. Her family said that wasn’t so, and now a Florida Department of Law Enforcement…

Sep 14, 2009 9:16 PM CDT