¶ … Future Directions of Juvenile Corrections
The Failing Juvenile Correction System in America
History, Statement of the Problem, and Proposed Solutions
One of society's most difficult problems to solve is that of crime, and juvenile crime is a particularly difficult situation. The current juvenile correction system has many failings, and it is not improving society or curbing crime. Juveniles are being abused emotionally, physically, and sexually in detention facilities. This report introduces readers to the situation, gives a historical overview of how juvenile corrections has evolved in America, and states the problems that currently plague the system. Proposed improvements for the system, as well as examples of current programs and initiatives being taken to improve juvenile corrections, are given as well.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ii Abstract iii.Table of Contents
iv Introduction
v Historical Perspective
Statement of the Problem vii....Proposed Future Directions viii...Summary and Conclusion
ix.References
IV: INTRODUCTION
Crime has existed since the beginning of defined civilization, and how to curb criminal behavior has been one of the most complex problems for society to address. There is a lot of concern today that the justice system, and the juvenile justice system in particular, is ineffectual and corrupt. The intended purpose of the criminal justice system is to remove crime from the general public, by means of one of several avenues. Criminals are either locked up so that they are prevented from doing harm to others or teaching others to commit crimes, or they are locked up to serve as an example to others that crime does not pay, in hopes that the fear of punishment will outweigh the desire of many individuals to commit crimes. There is also the hope that reprimand will come in a form that will somehow rehabilitate the criminal so that if and when he is released from prison, he will not continue on the path of crime. The justice system is intended to reduce crime by punishing only those who have committed one, and also to bring closure to victims of those crimes. Ideally, the best interests of innocent parties would outweigh all other goals of the criminal justice system. Unfortunately, maintaining an ideal system is not feasible, and the current system that serves to punish juvenile offenders is particularly corrupted. More and more, alternative treatments are being sought out to replace the traditional incarceration and probation methods that are used because the crime problem is not being solved.
There is some speculation, and a great deal of evidence, that the current corrections policies are continuing and supporting the cycle of crime, rather than reducing it. The penal system is designed to dehumanize everyone involved in it, and corruption among employees of the system and the criminals sent into the system is rampant. "Corrections officers and inmates alike have found themselves victimized by a system intent on housing criminals in huge, military style facilities, where incidents of rape, assault and battery, intimidation, and abuse of the mentally ill have become accepted daily occurrences." (Foley 2000) The criminal justice system is currently training children to be criminals rather than model citizens; a small offense committed by a minor is likely to land him into a hostile environment with serious criminals. Whether those other criminals are peers or adult prisoners, rather than scaring a misguided youth onto a crime-free path, it is likely to scare him into crime. One report about how prisoners are being punished but not rehabilitated states,"We have thousands and thousands of prisoners who should be socializing, working jobs, going to school, and being rehabilitated. Instead, these people are spending months in isolation, and
Studies indicate that "... A higher than average incidence of delinquency occurs among youngsters of the poorest social standing and with the lowest performance at school..." (Jarvelin et al., 1994, p. 230) Similarly, studies also note that neighborhood influences on development was determinant on factors such as "...collective socialization, peer-group influence, and institutional capacity." (Sampson, Morenoff & Gannon-Rowley, 2002. p 443) Generally studies like the above present a negative picture of
Future Role of the Juvenile Justice System in the United States Young people are naturally prone to experimentation and impulsive behaviors that frequently result in their involvement with the law enforcement community, and police officers today generally enjoy wide latitude in resolving these incidents. In fact, in some if not most cases, police officers can release young offenders into the custody of their parents or guardians without the further involvement
Compare and Contrast the Current Dominant Approaches to Crime Prevention Introduction Given the diverse definitions of crime prevention, Schneider looks at it from the consequences approach. He defines it as a program or strategy that serves the purpose of preventing the occurrence of criminal acts or behaviors from emerging (2014). The outcome of such a definition has seen crime prevention defined as a “reduction in or prevention of specific criminal events” (Schneider,
This in turn more often than not leads the stigmatized to acquire more and more deviant and possibly criminal identities (Lanier & Henry, 1998). There can, of course, be other antecedents prior to labeling that can enhance the process of delinquency in juveniles. Mental and/or psychological impairments must also be considered as a contributing factor. Certain of these attributes can also contribute to highly suggestible levels in regards to behavior
She answered that no one had condemned her. Jesus then said to her, "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin" (John 8:11). Because the woman was not stoned in the end, many interpret it to mean that Jesus changed Mosaic law and then this argument is extended to capital punishment in general. However, Jesus still left the opportunity for her to
There are a variety of theoretical explanations that have been put forward to explain female abuse and violent crimes against women. These include feminist and gender theories and extend to theories of genetic pathology. However, in the criminological literature a distinction is made between two categories of explanation. On the one hand, there are theories that tend to focus on individual pathology and forms of deviance that can lead to these
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