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Serious And Habitual Juvenile Offender Statutes: Reconciling Punishment And Rehabilitation Within The Juvenile Justice System, Julianne P. Sheffer

Vanderbilt Law Review

In early 1994, an American teenager was caned by Singapore authorities after his conviction for various acts of vandalism. This highly publicized punishment sparked sharp controversies in the United States. Amnesty International, along with many columnists, condemned Michael Fay's sentence as too harsh, given his youth and the non-violent nature of the crime.' The American public, by contrast, strongly supported the punishment. Apparently, many Americans felt that if tougher sanctions were imposed on youths who committed criminal acts in this country, our delinquency levels would more closely resemble Singapore's almost negligible offense rates. Given the widely held perception that America's …