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American Law Institute Criminal Justice Youth Committee records
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Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library [Contact Us]3460 Chestnut Street, Biddle Law Library, Philadelphia, PA 19104-3406
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
In 1938, the American Law Institute (ALI) formed the Criminal Justice--Youth Committee to review the findings of a New York City study of criminal behavior among minors called "
Youth in the Toils." The culmination of the committee's work was the Model Youth Correction Authority Act (also known as the "Youth Correction Authority Act" and the "Youth Court Act"), a model act that favored the integration of a number of youth treatment processes already employed by various states. The committee also proposed the creation of a Youth Authority, a state-wide panel that would handle sentencing guidelines, with an emphasis on treatment and not punishment, for all underagecriminal offenders.The Model Youth Correction Authority Act was adopted by the ALI in 1940. Following its promulgation, the ALI appointed a special adviser, John R. Ellingston, to help states adopt Youth Authority legislation. This outreach effort was known as the Youth Authority Program. The Youth Authority Program lasted until 1951.
The Criminal Justice--Youth Committee Records, 1935-1959, include background information, correspondence, meeting minutes, drafts, comments, memoranda, reports, publications, and related records regarding the drafting of the Model Youth Correction Authority Act, adopted by the ALI in 1940, and the Youth Authority Program, an initiative that encouraged state adoption of Youth Authority legislation.
- Biographical Records About Project Members
- Fundraising Records
- Correspondence
- Meeting Records
- Drafts, Comments, and Related Records
- Publications
Throughout this collection, researchers should note the following abbreviations when examining the collection: "PD" stands for Preliminary Draft "TD" stands for Tentative Draft "CD" stands for Council Draft
First shipment received from the American Law Institute in 1995.
Preliminary container list prepared by Melissa Backes, 1995-2005.
Processed and encoded by Jordon Steele, May 2008.
- Publisher
- University of Pennsylvania: Biddle Law Library
- Finding Aid Author
- Jordon Steele
- Finding Aid Date
- 2008
- Access Restrictions
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None.
- Use Restrictions
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The archives reserves the right to restrict access to material of sensitive nature. Please contact the department for further information.
Collection Inventory
A committee roster and page-length biographies of committee members and Youth Authority Program Special Adviser John Ellingston.
General Physical Description noteAbout 10 items
A report prepared by William Draper Lewis that estimates the cost for the proposed project and a statement from the American Law Institute's Executive Committee that proposes the project to the Rockefeller Foundation.
Physical Description2 Item(s)
Primarily letters and related records sent to American Law Institute members during the activity of the Youth Authority Program.
General Physical Description noteAbout 1500 items
Minutes and reports from meetings of the Criminal Justice--Youth Committee and other American Law Institute meetings.
General Physical Description noteAbout 35 items
Drafts, memoranda, comments from consultants and advisers, reports from prior crime-related codification projects, correspondence, and related material reflecting the work of the Criminal Justice--Youth Committee on projects including the Model Youth Correction Authority Act, adopted by the American Law Institute in 1940, and the subsequently commissioned Youth Authority Program.
General Physical Description noteAbout 230 items
Published material issued by the American Law Institute following its adoption of the Model Youth Correction Authority Act. These publications helped explain the ALI's position on the Model Youth Correction Authority Act, the Youth Authority Program, and, generally, the criminal behavior of minors.
Physical Description5 Item(s)