Juvies
Encyclopedia
MTV Juvies is a MTV
television show following minors in the Lake County, Indiana
Juvenile Justice Complex. The series' first and only season debuted on MTV in February 2007, and has re-aired regularly, most recently in May 2009. On July 30, 2008 the NWI Times reported that production was underway for another documentary series also to be filmed at the Lake County Juvenile Justice Complex in Crown Point, Indiana. This new series takes a deeper look at the inner workings of the LCJC detention and court systems, and it ventures into other correctional facilities in Indiana, and premiered on MSNBC on July 4, 2009 at 10:00 E.T.
Juvenile Justice
system. The show features a behind the scenes look at the detention center and court process as it follows kids charged with committing relatively minor offenses such as underage drinking
, minor theft
, marijuana use, running away, etc.
Each episode follows two youths from their initial intake in the detention center to their "Detention Hearing" where a judge
hears evidence on whether to keep the child detained, or release the child to their parents or elsewhere, pending a trial on the underlying charges. The series does not cover the trial on the charges themselves, however a brief epilogue appears at the end of each hour long episode updating viewers on the eventual outcome of the case.
They have some special shorts called Life After Juvies on MTV, where it shows how the child is doing after being a juvie
.
The unprecedented access (including voluminous amounts of CCTV footage) to the juvenile court system, which is typically closed, was obtained by Calamari Productions from the Indiana Supreme Court
.
The song "Sometimes Your Best Isn't Good Enough", performed by The Churchills
, is the theme of the show.
Judge Mary Beth Bonaventura.
or private attorney hired by the family. The Lake County Juvenile Court uses part time
public defenders who also maintain private law practices.
Attorneys who appear in episodes on behalf of the children include Donald Wruck, Geoff Giorgi, and Deidre Monroe.
The deputy prosecuting attorney appearing in several episodes is Kathy Guzek.
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
television show following minors in the Lake County, Indiana
Lake County, Indiana
Lake County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. In 2010, its population was 496,005, making it Indiana's second-most populous county. The county seat is Crown Point. This county is part of Northwest Indiana and the Chicago metropolitan area. The county contains a mix of urban,...
Juvenile Justice Complex. The series' first and only season debuted on MTV in February 2007, and has re-aired regularly, most recently in May 2009. On July 30, 2008 the NWI Times reported that production was underway for another documentary series also to be filmed at the Lake County Juvenile Justice Complex in Crown Point, Indiana. This new series takes a deeper look at the inner workings of the LCJC detention and court systems, and it ventures into other correctional facilities in Indiana, and premiered on MSNBC on July 4, 2009 at 10:00 E.T.
Overview
MTV Juvies depicts what happens to offenders in the IndianaIndiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
Juvenile Justice
Juvenile court
A juvenile court is a tribunal having special authority to try and pass judgments for crimes committed by children or adolescents who have not attained the age of majority...
system. The show features a behind the scenes look at the detention center and court process as it follows kids charged with committing relatively minor offenses such as underage drinking
Legal drinking age
Laws about the legal drinking age cover a wide range of issues and behaviours, addressing when and where alcohol can be consumed. The minimum age alcohol can be legally consumed can be different to the age when it can be purchased. These laws vary among different countries and many laws have...
, minor theft
Theft
In common usage, theft is the illegal taking of another person's property without that person's permission or consent. The word is also used as an informal shorthand term for some crimes against property, such as burglary, embezzlement, larceny, looting, robbery, shoplifting and fraud...
, marijuana use, running away, etc.
Each episode follows two youths from their initial intake in the detention center to their "Detention Hearing" where a judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
hears evidence on whether to keep the child detained, or release the child to their parents or elsewhere, pending a trial on the underlying charges. The series does not cover the trial on the charges themselves, however a brief epilogue appears at the end of each hour long episode updating viewers on the eventual outcome of the case.
They have some special shorts called Life After Juvies on MTV, where it shows how the child is doing after being a juvie
Young offender
A young offender is a young person who has been convicted or cautioned for a criminal offence. Criminal justice systems often deal with young offenders differently from adult offenders, but different countries apply the term 'young offender' to different age groups depending on the age of criminal...
.
The unprecedented access (including voluminous amounts of CCTV footage) to the juvenile court system, which is typically closed, was obtained by Calamari Productions from the Indiana Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Indiana
The Supreme Court of Indiana is the state supreme court of Indiana. The court was established by Article Seven of the Indiana Constitution and is the highest judicial authority within Indiana...
.
The song "Sometimes Your Best Isn't Good Enough", performed by The Churchills
The Churchills (U.S. band)
The Churchills are an indie pop/rock foursome from the New York/New Jersey area. They are probably most commonly known for their appearance on the television show Spin City, during season 3 in the episode titled "Internal Affairs". They performed their song "Everybody Gets What They Deserve" at the...
, is the theme of the show.
Judge
All of the featured children appear before Lake County Indiana Superior CourtSuperior court
In common law systems, a superior court is a court of general competence which typically has unlimited jurisdiction with regard to civil and criminal legal cases...
Judge Mary Beth Bonaventura.
Defense Attorneys
Each child is represented at their detention hearing by a defense attorney - either an appointed public defenderPublic defender
The term public defender is primarily used to refer to a criminal defense lawyer appointed to represent people charged with a crime but who cannot afford to hire an attorney in the United States and Brazil. The term is also applied to some ombudsman offices, for example in Jamaica, and is one way...
or private attorney hired by the family. The Lake County Juvenile Court uses part time
Part time
A part-time job is a form of employment that carries fewer hours per week than a full-time job. Workers are considered to be part time if they commonly work fewer than 30 or 35 hours per week...
public defenders who also maintain private law practices.
Attorneys who appear in episodes on behalf of the children include Donald Wruck, Geoff Giorgi, and Deidre Monroe.
Prosecuting Attorneys
The State of Indiana is represented by a deputy prosecuting attorney, who elicits testimony and presents evidence in support of the charges pending against the child. However, because the hearings depicted on "MTV Juvies" are detention hearings, the issues are limited to whether the child should be detained awaiting trial.The deputy prosecuting attorney appearing in several episodes is Kathy Guzek.
Episode guide
| Episode number | Title | Defense attorney(s) | Director |
|---|