Youth Justice and the Policy Development Process

• Semester: Fall 2026
• Course ID: 389V
• Credit Hours: 3
• Unique: 31562

Registration Status: Open

Description

This is an LBJ School course, cross-listed with the Law School.

This class examines the policy development process through the lens of youth justice, a rapidly changing part of the criminal legal system due to shifting philosophies, social science research, and decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court. Because youth justice systems around the United States are in such tremendous flux, they provide a perfect vehicle for us to consider the various components of the policy development process.

We will examine the evolution of policy in this arena by looking backwards, historically, at the policies that dominated the juvenile justice landscape during the 1990s and 2000s. How did we get to the point where we are today? And we will examine changes in youth justice policies and practices as they are currently developing, across the country and in Texas, by conducting in-depth analyses of contemporary case studies in youth justice policy. Those case studies will likely include:

• (1) school discipline and the use of police in schools
• (2) reductions in the use of juvenile incarceration and the shift towards community-based programs;
• (3) juvenile life without parole; and
• (4) raising the age of criminal responsibility from 17 to 18.

These case studies will allow us to explore how policy problems are conceptualized, framed, and analyzed; how the issues make it onto the public agenda; the influences on and determinants of public policy; the shifting tides of public opinion; the roles of various government officials, agencies, and stakeholder entities; the impact of law and legal rulings on policy issues; and the processes by which policies are adopted and implemented. We will pay particular attention to the legislative process in Texas.  

As we study the issues, students will have the opportunity to apply what we learn about the policy-making process through role-playing exercises and writing assignments. We will have mock legislative hearings and briefings in which students serve as legislators and witnesses. Students will also learn to write policy memos, present oral and written legislative testimony, and—as part of a team—develop policy proposals, supporting documents, and strategy plans.

To help ground the course in real-world experiences, we will watch archived videos of legislative hearings at the Texas Capitol. Observing these hearings will provide insights into how policy initiatives are developed, adopted, and implemented, and greater awareness of what constitutes effective testimony. We may also have the opportunity to meet with one or more juvenile justice advocates and system practitioners, all of whom have been central to the youth justice policy development process in Texas.

This course is cross-listed between the LBJ School and the Law School.