Global Perspectives on Juvenile Justice

The line that divides adulthood from childhood governs access to rights and the extent of one's legal accountability. This course will examine different juvenile justice and rights regimes for youth across the globe. Readings and discussion will cover the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the American invention of separate juvenile courts, the European recognition of an extended adolescence, the Chinese approach to youth rights and juvenile justice, and the relevance of cognitive developmental science and cultural perceptions of youth to the administration of justice.