Juvenile Justice
The Supreme Court Considers Underage Defendants
Issues arising from juvenile delinquency proceedings rarely come before the U.S. Supreme Court. Beginning in the late 1960s, however, the Court decided a series of landmark cases that dramatically changed the character and procedures of the juvenile justice system. Kent v. United States (1966) In 1961, while on probation from an earlier case, Morris Kent, age 16, was charged with rape and robbery. Kent confessed to the offense as well as to several similar incidents. Assuming that the District of Columbia juvenile court would consider waiving jurisdiction to the adult system, Kent’s attorney filed a motion requesting a hearing on…
