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Essay On Juvenile Detention

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To release or detain a juvenile is one of the most critical stages in the juvenile court process. The impact of release or detention can have a lasting effect not only on the juvenile delinquent’s life, but also the victim, the criminal justice system and the community at large. The release or detain stage is the gateway into the juvenile court process that could easily motivate or deter further delinquency. “Most children taken into custody by the police are released to their parents or guardians” (Siegel & Welsh, 2014, p. 355). For those that are detained, detention can be a traumatic experience rather than a rehabilitative one. “A study of child detention centers in New Jersey found that one out of every four youths in the centers (about 2,500 out of 10,000) were placed there inappropriately and should have instead been placed in hospitals, foster care homes, or other noncustodial settings” (p.355). Much like adult prisons and jails have problems with non-violent offenders being held alongside violent offenders, the unsuitable placement …show more content…

If in fact its goal is to rehabilitate delinquent juveniles, more emphasis should be placed on diversion programs rather than detention of the first time offenders. “All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death” (1 John 5:17, English Standard Version). To often, the stigma of entering the court system is enough to create a metaphorical death in the life of a juvenile. This stigma affects the large radius of their environment, family and future. While detention provides public safety as not all juvenile delinquents have the home life to be able to be released back to their parents, delinquency can be deterred if alternatives are posed rather relying on detention. If a delinquent juvenile is able to get adequate rehabilitation before reaching the age of 18, the potential is there to have one less incarcerated

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