There are indication that most criminals have a juvenile records in the US, indicating that crime manifests from a tender age. Therefore, to reverse the incidence of crime, it follows that the best strategy is to reduce the criminal orientation in the juvenile offenders as opposed to hardening them and preparing them for criminal careers. The case of the Crossroads Juvenile Center demonstrates the willingness of the juvenile justice systems to make these changes on the children. References Day, S. (2014). Runaway Man: A Journey Back to Hope.
Juveniles that go through the rehabilitation process will be able to have a clean record after they reach 18, whereas the exact opposite if they went through the adult justice system. Stevenson feels that, “We’ve become so fearful and vengeful that we’ve thrown away children, discarded the disabled, and sanctioned the imprisonment of the sick and the weak—not because they are a threat to public safety or beyond rehabilitation but because we think it makes us seem tough, less broken.” (289) This quote represents the treatment towards juveniles in prison and how the potential of these children is wasted. The goal of rehabilitation is to help the youth understand the consequences of their actions and learn how to make better choices in the
In 1830 a law passed that determined that youth should be separated from adults. “An Act to Establish a House of Refuge for Juvenile Delinquents” was also passed by legislature which allowed the states to provide delinquent youth with homes, education, and job training. (Department of Juvenile Service,
In the early 1800s the punishment of juveniles altered to the notion to rehabilitate juvenile offenders among with separate juveniles from adults in the system, and to keep the juvenile recidivism rate low, therefore the creation of the New York House of Refuge began (ABA Dialogue Program, n.d., p.5). The House of Refuge was the first prison to separate juveniles from adults and “were supposed to provide a home for unruly and troubled children, where they would be reformed, educated, and disciplined (Roberts, 1998, p. 96).” The program did not concentrate on punishment or pain, but on life skills that the juveniles could utilized once released. According to Roberts (1998), “Order, discipline, and moral teachings were emphasized (p.97).” The
The Juvenile system was first established around 1899 during the Progressives Era Reforms. The progressive era reform was the first system to actually try to reform juveniles due to the fact that they were being trialed as adults. Psychologist made developments with research on the psyche of the juveniles being trialed as adults not beneficial to the state of mind that some minors can’t comprehend at the adult level. The findings from the research that were conducted, made society change their views on the juvenile delinquency.
The juvenile justice system of the 1800’s is much improved in today’s society and still undergoing changes to improve the system. Henceforth, it can be noticed that the juvenile justice system of the 1800’s until today has undergone drastic changes in such a way that offenders be it youth or minor are tried differently from the adults in all states These changes can be seen when the Juvenile Justice System was under the English Common Law, the colonial era, the industrial revolution era, and the Victorian era. There are more programs developed in today’s Juvenile Justice System, as well as young offenders with regards to age are processed separately, and are not necessarily referred to as chattel due to how profound the juvenile system has
The Juvenile Justice System was developed in the mid-1800’s. Before the 1800’s there was no clear legal status defined for youthful offenders. From birth to age five or six, children were identified as property, and from ages five or six until death, children were identified as an adult. Because children identified as an adult, they were subjected to the same rules and standards that adults where held too. Such standards include dealing with social and economic problems.
The theme presented within both articles is a trend that has lead the juvenile justice system away from harsh punishments for juvenile offenders in recent years. The first article titled, Trends in Juvenile Justice State Legislation, addresses the recent shifts in juvenile justice policies from 2011–2015. After a dramatic increase in serious juvenile crime in the 1980s and early 1990s, legislature in nearly every state passed laws that would hold more juvenile offenders accountable through adult sentencing. Yet by 2015, it has been said that states continue to re–examine it’s policies to produce more effective response to juvenile crime and improve the overall system experience. According to the article, several factors can be attributed to
For starters, the main aim of the juvenile justice system is to rehabilitate and reform the offender, thus the government applies methods such as probation, parole, and reform programs. The other system focuses more on punishment and separating the offenders from the public than on reforming them hence the use of incarceration. Imprisonment takes away the culprit’s freedom and subjects him or her to a rigid system of operation. They also aim at deterring the offender from re-committing the offence, and serving as a warning to other members of the public to avoid crime. Secondly, juveniles undergo adjudication instead of facing public trial by jury.
The tension is so strong, it still continues to this day, where we are still having to deal with our juvenile justice system. There has never been a clear single dominant path to follow in regards to the juvenile system. But through the following research conducted and arguments placed. The benefits of
Many of these juvenile offenders are from poverty stricken communities, have no family support system, or lack self-confidence to a self-destructive level. These things effect a young person’s actions and can lead to violence and consequently confrontation with the law. The argument against trying youth offenders as adults is based on the idea that these damaging environmental factors can be reversed with the proper rehabilitation. The opposite side argues that these juveniles are and will always be criminals. They also believe that the repeated offenses and serious crimes must be addressed with the proper punishment regardless of age.
We live in a society today, juvenile justice is a concern for law enforcement. One thing us whether or not to try teen criminals in adult courts and sentence them to adult prisons. In virtually all states there are juvenile justice systems where teens are tried and put into juvenile facilities. The main focus of these facilities is to rehabilitate juveniles, not just punish and imprison them. The problem is that some teens are still being tried in adult courts and sentenced to adult prisons.
Young people should be given the opportunity of rehabilitation and redemption. The theory of deterrence is “predicated on the assumption that individuals weigh the costs and rewards associated with alternative actions, and select behaviors that maximize gains and minimize the cost” (Vago). The judgment and the ability to weigh the risks of a crime are not of an adult stage; therefore, there is an injustice present in the way the justice system prosecutes the youth of America. There is no reform proposed as “incarceration is used as the primary response to social problems” (NAACP). Instead of being offered treatment, “some of 10,000 children are housed in adult jails and prisons on any given day in America” (Children).
The juvenile justice system has made numerous of ethical issues when managing juvenile offenders. The issue with the juvenile justice system is the laws and rules that govern it. It has led to years of controversial debate over the ethical dilemmas of the juvenile corrections system, and how they work with youth offenders. The number of minors entering the juvenile justice system is increasing every month. The reasons why the juvenile justice system faces ethical dilemmas is important and needs to be addressed: (1) a vast proportion of juveniles are being tried and prosecuted as adults; (2) the psychological maturation of the juvenile to fully comprehend the justice system; and (3) the factors that contribute to minorities being adjudicated in the juvenile justice system are more likely than White offenders.
In conclusion several attempts had been made in attempts to reduce the number of juveniles serving time in adult correctional facilities however thus far efforts have failed. When it becomes brutally evident that the current plan is not working than its time to implement a different plan or revise the current ones. As of today juveniles are being incarcerated at nearly double the rate of juveniles back in 2010, thus emphasizing the need for change. There are multiple efforts that could be made in attempts to reform the current juvenile justice system. The current system does not consider the psychosocial issues surrounding juveniles prior to committing any crime.
