You are a newly appointed police officer assigned to a juvenile unit of a medium-size urban police department. Wayne is an 18-year-old European American male who was caught shoplifting with two male friends of the same age. Wayne attempted to leave a large department store with a $25 shirt and was apprehended by a police officer in front of the store. Wayne seemed quite remorseful about the offense. He said several times that he didn’t know why he did it and that he had not planned to do it. He seemed upset and scared, and although admitting the offense, did not want to go to court. Wayne had three previous contacts with the police as a juvenile: one for malicious mischief when he destroyed some property, another involving a minor assault on a boy, and a third involving another shoplifting charge. In all three cases, Wayne promised to refrain from ever committing such acts again, and as a result was not required to go to court. The other shoplifting incident involved a baseball worth only $3. Wayne appears at the police department with his mother. His parents are divorced. The mother does not seem overly concerned about the case and feels that her son was not really to blame. She argues that he is always getting in trouble and she is not sure how to control him. She blames most of his troubles with the law on his being in the wrong crowd. Besides, a $25 shirt is “no big deal” and she offers to pay back the store. The store has left matters in the hands of the police and will support any decision you make.

Deciding what to do in a case like Wayne’s is a routine activity for most police officers. When dealing with juveniles, they must consider not only the nature of the offense but also the needs of the juvenile. Write an essay about the best course of action for this case, weighing the advantages and disadvantages of prosecution, release with a warning, and other options available to the police.

 

 

 

 

 

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