Law Commons^™

The Right To Treatment For Juveniles In Texas: A Legislative Proposal., Mark H. Marshall

St. Mary's Law Journal

Studies of adult prison populations show large percentages of such populations are juvenile offenders. The right to treatment concept emerged as a solution to this perplexing problem. The right to treatment guarantees juveniles post-adjudicative care and treatment aimed at rehabilitation. Courts have indicated a willingness to support the right to treatment concept. However, legislatures limit courts power to affect change. To fully implement the right to treatment, legislatures must establish an express right to treatment for institutionalized juveniles and set standards to ensure this right. The Texas Legislature has an excellent start toward this goal, but it should not be …