Tougher courts don’t cut youth crime, study suggests

Responding to juvenile offenses through criminal trials may not be more effective in preventing repeat violence than noncriminal measures, a study by South Korean researchers showed Monday. The study, led by Kim Byung-bae, a professor of criminal psychology at Kyonggi University, compared recidivism rates between two groups of minors: those who received protective measures through criminal courts and those who were subject to noncriminal measures at family courts.