YOUNG GUNS: EXAMINING ALTERNATIVE EXPLANATIONS OF JUVENILE FIREARM HOMICIDE RATES*

In recent years, youth firearm homicide has become a topic of great public concern in the United States. However, few macrolevel studies have examined intercity variation in juvenile firearm homicide. In the current study, we address this gap in the literature by examining whether intercity variation in firearm‐related homicide rates among black and white juveniles is explained by three prominent structural factors: concentrated disadvantage, racial inequality, and the youth illicit drug market activity. Our findings suggest partial support for the concentrated disadvantage and juvenile drug market explanations of homicide. However, contrary to expectations, these relationships are only significant in models for white juveniles.     

The Organization and Operation of Teen Courts in the United States: A Comparative Analysis of Legislation

Teen courts are juvenile justice diversion programs found in most states. Programs vary significantly between, and even within, states, making regulation cumbersome. Their grass roots nature requires legislative latitude so each program can meet the specific needs of the communities they serve. States have passed both specific and broad legislation acknowledging their existence and providing referral sources. This article examines teen court legislation from every state, analyzes each, and draws conclusions about teen courts from a legislative perspective.     

MALA IN SE

Although the terms mala in se and mala prohibita appear in legal treatises, in court opinions, and in statutes, their definitions are far from clear. In the following article, the doctrine of mala in se is examined in regard to its historical genesis, the rationales which lie behind it, and its legal utility. Discussion of the concept involves questions about the relationship of the mala in se doctrine to common law, to mens rea, to the idea of sin or moral turpitude, and to statutory law. When viewed from an historical perspective, the distinction between the designations of mala in se and mala prohibita is far from precise; this definitional difficulty may presage gradual disappearance of the classifications from legal literature.