The nation 's first juvenile court was formed in Illinois in 1899 and provided a legal distinction between juvenile abandonment and crime. The law that established the court, the Illinois Juvenile Court Law of 1899, was created largely because of the advocacy of women such as Jane Addams, Louise DeKoven Bowen, Lucy Flower and Julia Lathrop, who were members of the influential Chicago Woman 's Club. The Chicago court opened on July 1, 1899 with Judge Tuthill presiding, along with several members of the Chicago Woman 's Club who acted as advisors about the juvenile offender 's backgrounds. Establishing a juvenile court helped reframe cultural and legal interpretations of "the best interests of the child. '' "The underlying assumption of the original juvenile system, and one that continues to prevail, was that juveniles were generally more amenable to rehabilitation than adult criminals. This new application of parens patrea and the development of a separate juvenile court formed the foundation for the modern juvenile justice system.
the juvenile court system in the u.s. has been in existence since
1899 1899 1899