Judging Children As Children: A Proposal for a Juvenile Justice System [Paperback]

Michael Corriero (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 28, 2007

When is it appropriate to punish a child in the same way as we do an adult criminal? In this book, Judge Michael Corriero draws on his fourteen years experience in hearing the cases of troubled children and children (as young as 13) in trouble with the law. Across the United States, state laws require that children charged with serious crimes be tried as adults and restrict judicial discretion in sentencing them. Judge Corriero argues that such policies are both unjust and ineffective. In their place he proposes a juvenile justice system that would assess each child under the age of eighteen being considered for prosecution as an adult in order identify those who are capable of overcoming their problems without compromising public safety. Using cases from his own court in Manhattan, Judge Corriero amply demonstrates that the current punitive policies fail to steer children away from crime and that both society and the child benefit from a more individualized approach.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Corriero is well placed to comment on the state of juvenile justice in the U.S.; for over a decade he has presided over a groundbreaking Manhattan courtroom dedicated to handling crimes committed by children under the age of 16. Corriero employs his experience to good effect in outlining the challenges of balancing society's interest in being safe with the desire to avoid transforming a youthful offender into a career criminal. He notes that the recent shift in local legislation toward a less tolerant approach has restricted the ability of judges to tailor punishments that fit not only the crime but the criminal. Corriero's text is readable; drawing on actual cases, he covers both the psychological and legal aspects of judging juvenile defendants. Law-and-order types are likely to view Corriero as too soft, while liberals will find little to disagree with in the judge's approach, though some may note the absence of discussion of defendants who in retrospect were treated too leniently. Skepticism may also be warranted for the claim of sociology professor Caroline Joy DeBrowner (who wrote one chapter about observing Judge Corriero in his courtroom) that the methods he proposes would work "irrespective of the judge's personality." (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

As presiding judge in a Manhattan juvenile court since 1992, Corriero has seen children as young as 13 who are tried as adults. He has judged thousands of youths accused of murder, rape, kidnapping, robbery, and assault and has sentenced 13-, 14-, and 15-year-olds to life in prison for murder. Drawing on that experience, and a childhood spent between Catholic schools and the Mulberry Street Boys in Little Italy, Corriero examines the consequences of treating children as adults. Offering a model for applying his personal convictions, Corriero proposes that all court systems have a youth division within the criminal courts to address issues specifically related to youths charged with adult crimes. He advocates a model that identifies violent youths and dispositions that focus on educating offenders, and he calls for no less than a reversal of trends in criminal justice and get-tough attitudes, which vary from state to state. He intersperses sociological studies with vignettes from his own court in this cogent argument and appeal for changes in how youths are treated in criminal cases. Vanessa Bush
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: Temple University Press (February 28, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592131697
• ISBN-13: 978-1592131693
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #786,546 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read, July 13, 2007

By 

Soren E. Packer "Soren" (New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Judging Children As Children: A Proposal for a Juvenile Justice System (Hardcover)

This book chronicles Judge Michael A. Corriero's extensive experiences dealing with youthful offenders in New York's criminal justice system.

The book provides an insightful look into the criminal justice system while highlighting the shortcomings of the present youthful offender laws in New York and proposing reforms to deal with the special problems posed by the harsh treatment placed on youthful offenders in New York.