Getting tough with juvenile offenders - Explaining support for sanctioningyouths as adults

Despite recent "get tough" trends in juvenile justice, relatively little is known about support for sanctioning youths in adult courts. In response, t his study examines several neglected explanatory factors, including links b etween marital status, political orientation, and philosophy of punishment. Analysis of data from the 1995 National Opinion Survey of Crime and Justic e suggests that marital status and philosophy of punishment are consistentl y associated with support for adult sanctioning of youths when the offense involves any of three categories of offenses (selling illegal drugs, commit ting property crime, or committing violent crime). It also suggests that ma rital status conditions the effect of philosophy of punishment, an effect i tself conditioned by political orientation when the offense involves sellin g illegal drugs. Research and policy implications are discussed.