Juvenile Justice: Autonomy, Responsibility, and the Social Construction of Childhood.

• In Event: Roundtable: Juvenile Justice

Abstract

This paper aims to explore the concepts of youth autonomy, delinquency, and how we socially construct the idea of childhood. In the criminal justice system, children, parents, and stakeholders hold differing views on how children should or should not behave. This leads to various labels being assigned to children, categorizing some as 'good' and others as 'bad'. These labels often follow children as they mature, affecting life outcomes and opportunities. Furthermore, our understanding of the social construction of youth significantly impacts which children are afforded an autonomous childhood and which children are not. This paper plans to interview individuals in the Raise the Age movement and the Free Range Parenting movement to collect data on juvenile justice, autonomy, and the social construction of childhood.  These interviews will help to explore how adults within these movements perceive youth autonomy, as well as how they define what makes a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ child. The divergence of opinion on how children should behave and which standards apply to children can have a significant impact on adults as well as children. The social construction of youth plays a crucial role in determining which children are granted autonomy and which are labelled 'bad' or 'delinquent'.

Author

• Claire Venables, University of Massachusetts Boston