Early twentieth‐century legal reforms entrusted the state with the role of parens patriae (or legal protector acting in the best interest) to juveniles and to providing rehabilitation services to troubled youth. The US Supreme Court's Gault decision of 1967 established the right to defense counsel, which shifted the historical informality and parens patriae practice toward a more criminal court‐like process since juveniles were granted some basic due process constitutional rights. This created a conflict between the historical mission of juvenile courts and the role of prosecutors (to protect the public and to seek justice). The prosecutor's role in juvenile courts has become similar to the role of prosecutors in adult courts and has similar problems such as the overrepresentation of minorities. Waivers (or certification of transfers) of juveniles to adult courts have increased recidivism and have caused other harmful effects on youth.
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