Adult Prison Rehabilitation

Everything has its cost. It all boils down to how much one is willing to pay. From the 1980’s to the 1990’s juvenile offenses prompted state policymakers to expand laws to put juveniles in adult court. For obvious reasons, this is not sound. States are on average spending millions to incarcerate youth in adult prisons. Other supporters of change to this policy researched that it less expensive to keep youth in juvenile facilities versus adult ones. For instance, it costs on average $43,000 to house a youth offender in a juvenile facility. On the other hand, it cost $100,000 or more to house a youth in an adult facility. As a consequence, the state saves $57,000 by allowing an adolescent to be tried in juvenile court. These statistics are per

We can give them a better chance at rejoining society while spending less money by providing rehabilitative programs. There are 2 types of rehabilitation programs that are effective for youth. First, there is a community-based program that allows the adolescent to remain in the community while receiving treatments. These treatments cost less than incarceration all while reducing anti-social behavior and reducing re-offending rates. Therapies such as these come in handy by allowing the youth and their family to communicate. The family is an integral part in the life of adolescents. Next, out of home treatment programs are efficient in helping youth change their ways. These programs evaluate the youth, their crime and then decide how restrictive the program will be for the youth. All of these are done on a case by case basis. Now, I want to talk about vocational education as a rehabilitative measure. Many adolescents can receive career counseling, job placement, employment skills, and receive help finding home placements if provided with the necessary resources. This accomplishment helps them to gain a sense of confidence in themselves. Consequently, adolescents would be less likely to

Studies show that juveniles are 7.7 times more likely to commit suicide in an adult jail than in juvenile detention facilities. Likewise, adolescent offenders in adult facilities are 5 times more likely to be sexually assaulted and twice as likely to be beaten by staff members. They are 50% more likely to be attacked with a weapon, as well. While being detained in adult facilities, 30% of adolescents reported physical/sexual abuse. Another 2/3 reported they were experiencing symptoms of aggression. Due to the harsh treatments incurred in adult prisons, many youth have mental health needs which fail to be meet in an adult facility. Consequently, these harsh treatments cause youth to be more likely to re-offend. After reviewing these facts, it makes absolute sense to retain juveniles in the juvenile system instead of the adult system. The youth is our future; therefore, it is our duty as American citizens to protect that