Compared to adjudication in juvenile court, criminal convictions can hurt adolescent boys’ future employment prospects.

Recent decades have seen a shift in how juveniles are treated by the criminal justice system from rehabilitation to a “tough on crime” approach which sees more young people tried and sentenced by adult courts. But how has this shift affected the lives of these young people? Analyzing data from two cities, Jeffrey Sharlein finds that seven years after court involvement, young men who were convicted by a criminal court have had less time in the community, and thus poorer employment outcomes, compared to those who faced juvenile court.