Factors Perceived to Affect Delinquent Dispositions in Juvenile Court: Putting the Sentencing Decision into Context

Abstract

The dispositional stage is the most critical decision-making level delinquent youths encounter in juvenile court. Previous research has produced inconsistent results concerning what motivates court officials in making sentencing decisions. One hundred workers (judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and probation officers) from three juvenile courts (urban, suburban, and rural) were interviewed to ascertain their perspectives as to factors which should and do influence dispositions in juvenile court. The data demonstrate that the factors perceived to affect these decisions vary among juvenile courts and that research may never be able to determine precisely the impact any of the factors has on the dispositional outcomes.