The evolution of the juvenile justice systemThe juvenile justice system is intended to deal with legal cases involving persons under the age of eighteen. Launched at the beginning of the 19th century, the system is over a hundred years old. When the system started, emphasis was placed on the fact that the law should draw a line between minors and adults. It is assumed that adults can determine the wrongfulness of their actions; thus, the establishment of the juvenile justice system. By law, infants were described as children under the age of seven, and they could not know whether their actions were wrong. Such children could not be convicted of crime under the law (Drowns et al, 2000). Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the Original EssayChildren under the age of fourteen were supposed to know the wrongfulness of their actions; therefore, were treated as adults. There were exceptions in the law because children who did not seem to understand what they were doing were always treated like infants. Later, in the 19th century, another important milestone was reached in the history of the juvenile justice system when the way juveniles were treated began to change. Those who pushed for reforms to the justice system believed that special facilities were needed to deal with juveniles who found themselves on the wrong side of the law (Empey et al, 1982). Around 1899, a major milestone in the juvenile system was reached when Cook County, Illinois opened the first juvenile court. Before the juvenile court opened, Chicago and New York were the first two cities in the United States to separate juvenile offenders from adult offenders. Juvenile court had a theory that involved rehabilitating young offenders rather than punishing them. The State acted as the parent of the physically and mentally disabled minor. In the justice system, the best interests of the child were respected in determining how the child could become a productive member of society. The doctrine of “parens patria” therefore paved the way for the reintegration program in the history of the juvenile justice system (Tamilia, 2009). As the juvenile justice system has evolved, the structure has remained essentially the same, as it has many times. decades ago. What has continued to evolve is how juveniles’ rights are interpreted even as they move through the justice system. An example of such a development was seen in 1963, when the United States Supreme Court established that every citizen, including minors, had the right to counsel in criminal proceedings. Because of this case, the structure of juvenile court changed, making way for a juvenile lawyer to answer questions a minor might have. The lawyer also represents the rights of minors in court (Tamilia, 2009). Another significant example in the evolution of the juvenile justice system was cited in 1966, when the United States Supreme Court ruled that a juvenile has the right to a court hearing when his attorney has access to all of his records and in which the court provides a written report, citing all reasons for moving to the adult system. Initially, minors faced problems depending on the severity of their cases. In 1967, the United States Supreme Court ruled on the constitutional rights of minors. The Supreme Court ruled that the minors had.