Project 1: Age of Culpability and Case Review Assignments

CCJS Psychology of Criminal Behavior |

Project 1: Age of Culpability and Case Review Assignments |

In re Tyvonne M. Revisited: The Criminal Infancy Defense in Connecticut |

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Audrey Glasgow |

1/30/2016 |

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Connecticut legislated that children under a certain age are liable as delinquents for committing any crimes that if an adult would have done would be considered criminal. Prior to 1995 Public Act Connecticut’s juvenile justice system was designed to be non-criminal and rehabilitative. In Connecticut anyone under the age of 16 is considered a child and anyone who is at least 16 or almost 18 are considered a youth. They now serve crimes that were done before the alleged suspect turn(s) sixteen. The Connecticut Juvenile Justice System represents both delinquency petitions and Family with Service Needs (FWSN) petitions. The police will send cases to the Superior Court for juvenile Matters, but if the crime committed is done by a 14 year old or older it is sent to an adult criminal court. They have punished juvenile offenders who are culpable.

On March 1, 1987, Tyvonne, who was eight, found a gun while playing in the school yard. He took the gun and hid it, the following day he brought the gun to school and hid it by a fence. While in school he bragged to his fellow classmates about the gun he found. The victim told Tyvonne that she thought the gun was a fake and because of that it made the other kids say the gun was a toy. The victim then challenged Tyvonne by saying, “Shoot me. Shoot me.” Tyvonne then responded with, “I’ll show you it’s real.” He aimed and fired one shot at the victim which hit and injured her, he then began to swear and shout at the victim that he was telling the truth about the gun being real. He then ran away from the scene and was later apprehended and taken into custody. Tyvonne was then decided to be a delinquent for the second degree assault and placed in the custody of the Department of Children and Youth Services...