In my remarks today, I will explain how conceptions of children\u27s rights have been used to shape the American juvenile justice system\u27s development. First, I will argue that we should take a long view of this history. Next, I will focus on three specific eras of twentieth-century reform. Finally, I will conclude with a call for more research on the prosecutor\u27s role in administering juvenile justice. This historical perspective, I believe, can help us to answer the challenging question of what children\u27s rights should be