Unit 6
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Criminal Justice

reading and Writing Workshop

Forensic Science

Unit Plan

Juvenile Justice

Activities

Teaching with E.L.O.N.  (Enriched Learning Opportunity Nexus) that seamlessly integrates AI 

Unit 6
Overview:
This unit explores the structure, philosophy, and controversies surrounding the juvenile justice system in the United States. Students will investigate how juvenile justice differs from adult criminal justice, examine significant court rulings, and evaluate reform proposals. Through legal case analysis, critical discussions, and persuasive writing, students will consider ethical dilemmas and systemic inequalities, including the school-to-prison pipeline.

Essential Questions:

• How does the juvenile system differ from the adult system?
• What are the ethical considerations in juvenile justice?
• What reforms are needed to ensure justice and rehabilitation for youth?

Learning Objectives:
By the end of this unit, students will be able to:

• Explain the historical development and philosophical foundations of the juvenile justice system.
• Compare juvenile and adult court procedures and legal rights.
• Analyze significant Supreme Court decisions impacting juvenile rights.
• Evaluate the effectiveness and ethics of diversion programs and restorative justice.
• Investigate systemic issues such as the school-to-prison pipeline.
• Construct evidence-based arguments for or against trying juveniles as adults.
• Develop a policy proposal addressing a current problem in the juvenile justice system.

Major Topics and Lessons:
Week 11: Foundations and Procedures of Juvenile Justice
Lesson 1: History and Philosophy of the Juvenile System

• Overview of juvenile justice origins: parens patriae doctrine, rehabilitation vs. punishment.
• Activity: Timeline of juvenile justice developments.

Lesson 2: Juvenile Court Rights and the Case of In re Gault (1967)

• Read and analyze In re Gault: https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/387/1/
• Discussion: How did this case transform due process rights for juveniles?

Lesson 3: Status Offenses, Diversion, and Restorative Justice

• Definitions and examples of status offenses.
• Explore real-world diversion programs (e.g., peer courts, community service).
• Case Study: Restorative justice circles.

Week 12: Juvenile Justice Reform and Ethics
Lesson 4: The School-to-Prison Pipeline

• Examine how disciplinary policies affect marginalized youth.
• Source: Reports from the Juvenile Law Center https://jlc.org
• Activity: Annotated article analysis and small-group presentations.

Lesson 5: Should Juveniles Be Tried as Adults?

• Structured debate: For and against trying minors as adults.
• Source materials include real-life cases and expert testimony.

Lesson 6: Policy Reform Workshop

• Students draft reform proposals based on research and class discussions.
• Peer review and revision day.

Major Texts and Resources:

• Supreme Court Decision: In re Gault (1967) – https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/387/1/
• Juvenile Law Center reports and policy briefs – https://jlc.org
• Supplemental: News reports, short videos, and op-eds on youth justice and reform.

Collaborative Discussions:

• Socratic Seminar on In re Gault and the meaning of justice for youth.
• Group debate: Should juveniles ever be tried as adults?
• Policy peer review groups (Week 12).

Assessments:
Performance Task: Policy Proposal
Assignment:
Write a 2–3 page policy proposal to reform a specific aspect of the juvenile justice system (e.g., ending detention for status offenses, expanding diversion programs, reforming school discipline policies).
Requirements:

• Clear description of the problem
• Proposal of a realistic solution
• Use of at least two credible sources (one must be from Juvenile Law Center)
• Integration of legal or ethical arguments

Persuasive Essay: Should Juveniles Be Tried as Adults?Assignment:
Write a persuasive essay taking a position on whether juveniles should be tried in adult courts.
Requirements:

• Clear thesis statement
• Use of legal cases and ethical reasoning
• At least two supporting arguments with evidence
• Counterargument with rebuttal

Formative Assessments:

• Exit tickets (key differences between juvenile and adult systems)
• Group presentations on school-to-prison pipeline findings
• Peer feedback on proposal drafts

Extension/Enrichment:

• Research and present on international juvenile justice models
• Interview a local juvenile justice advocate or lawyer
• Write a fictional case study that applies juvenile court principles

Standards Alignment:

• RI.11-12.1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences.
• RI.11-12.2: Determine two or more central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text.
• W.11-12.1: Write arguments to support claims with clear reasoning and relevant evidence.
• W.11-12.7: Conduct short as well as sustained research projects.
• SL.11-12.1: Participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions.

​The following activities include AI tools that enhance student engagement, provide data-driven insights, and facilitate personalized learning. 
​Individual Activity: AI-Prompted Legal ComparisonTitle: How Juvenile Justice Differs from Adult Justice
Task: Students use an AI tool to help them create a side-by-side comparison chart of juvenile and adult court procedures.
Instructions:

• Prompt AI: "Summarize the major differences between the juvenile justice system and the adult criminal justice system."
• Students fact-check each difference using reputable sources such as the Juvenile Law Center and note discrepancies.
• Students write a short reflection (150–200 words) on why these differences exist.

Group Activity: Historical Timeline AI ResearchTitle: The Evolution of Juvenile Justice
Task: In small groups, students use AI to co-create a timeline showing key legal, social, and political developments in juvenile justice.
Instructions:

• Each group prompts AI: “What are 5–7 major moments in the history of juvenile justice in the U.S.?”
• Groups verify events with online resources (e.g., government archives, JLC.org).
• They create a collaborative digital timeline (Google Slides or Padlet) with brief AI-generated summaries and cited sources.
• Groups present their timelines to the class with commentary on the system's philosophical shifts.

Individual Activity: Guided AI Briefing on In re GaultTitle: What Happened to Gerald Gault?
Task: Students analyze the In re Gault case with AI-generated legal summaries and questions.
Instructions:

• Prompt AI: "Explain In re Gault (1967) for a high school student and summarize the Supreme Court’s decision."
• Students highlight AI output for accuracy and write a 250-word explanation of how the case changed juvenile due process.
• Bonus: Ask AI, “What would have happened to Gault under today’s laws?” and reflect on legal evolution.

Group Activity: AI-Guided Restorative Justice Simulation

Title: Build a Restorative Justice Circle
Task: Groups role-play a restorative justice session based on an AI-generated scenario.
Instructions:

• Prompt AI: "Create a realistic juvenile offense scenario appropriate for a restorative justice circle."
• Groups assign roles (offender, victim, facilitator, community members).
• Students use AI to brainstorm realistic dialogue or questions from their character’s perspective.
• After the role-play, groups discuss the benefits and limits of this approach.

Individual Activity: AI-Supported Argument Building
Title: Should Juveniles Be Tried as Adults?
Task: Students prepare for the persuasive essay by using AI as a brainstorming partner.
Instructions:

• Prompt AI: “What are the strongest arguments for and against trying juveniles as adults?”
• Students choose a side and ask AI to help generate counterarguments and rebuttals.
• They then outline their essay using a provided graphic organizer, labeling which ideas came from AI, which came from research, and which are original.

Group Activity: Policy Proposal Workshop with AI Draft Coach
Title: Rewriting Juvenile Justice
Task: Students use AI to refine and revise their group-created policy proposals.
Instructions:

• Groups submit their draft proposals to AI with the prompt: “Please revise this policy proposal for clarity, conciseness, and persuasive tone.”
• Students review the AI edits and discuss what to keep or reject.
• Each group annotates their final proposal to show how AI feedback was integrated or rejected, and why.

Individual Extension Activity: AI-Ethics Journal Prompt
​Title: AI, Bias, and Justice
Task: Students explore ethical intersections of AI and juvenile justice.
Instructions:

• Prompt AI: “How can AI tools either reduce or reinforce bias in the juvenile justice system?”
• Students reflect on the AI’s answer in a journal entry.
• They conclude with their own position: Should AI be used in sentencing or diversion decisions for youth? Why or why not?