Juvenile Offenders: Violence Is Not The Only Solution

If we choose to do nothing, our prison conditions will continue to bring about health hazards for the inmates. Stevenson strongly advocates for a more humane approach to youth justice and is strongly against trying minors as adults. The juvenile justice system needs to place more emphasis on support and correction than on punishment, taking into account the vulnerabilities and developmental differences of young offenders. In addition, it is important to convert juvenile correctional facilities into therapeutic and educational settings that target the underlying causes of misbehavior. In order for these children to become successful individuals, the primary components of juvenile detention have to be educational opportunities, psychological services, and rehabilitation programs (Hanink, 2018).

State Patrol Officer Jones, am on routine patrol duty when an announcement is made that a late-model foreign car was stolen at gunpoint about one-hour earlier roughly 10 miles away. The only physical description given is the late model of the car, foreign, and a young male wearing a baseball cap. A few minutes later, Jones notices a late model BMW with a single driver, a young man. Officer Jones signals the driver to stop, even though he is obeying all traffic laws. When asked for his license and registration, however, the driver, John, says he does not have one and he borrowed the car from his uncle. Jones checks the plates and finds out that the BMW was indeed the automobile reported in the robbery. He cuffs John and, without advising him of his Miranda rights, asks him if he was involved in the robbery. John admits to the deed and tells Jones that the gun used in the robbery was in the trunk, and that he is a member of the MS-13 gang and stealing a car is part of his initiation.

The criminal justice system approaches young offenders through unique policies to address the challenges of dealing with juvenile offending. They take special care when dealing with juveniles in order to stop them from repeat offending and stop any potential bad behaviour which could result in future. Juveniles have the highest tendency to rehabilitate and most adopt law-abiding lifestyles as they mature. There are several factors influencing juvenile crime including psychological and social pressures unique to juveniles, which may lead to an increase in juvenile’s risks of contact with the criminal justice system.

Juvenile offenders are increasing day by day regardless of the efforts to control the youth crime. It is important to understand the fact that even though the offenders fall in the young age bracket, they are still a part of human species. Human nature responds to violent actions with violent reactions. Violent reactions cause an increase in the violent actions instead of controlling them. However violent reactions may cause a temporary stop in the violent actions which may lead the authorities to believe that they have contained the crime. However, that doesn't stand true as a temporary stop does not result in a permanent solution.

The International Centre for prisons that juveniles under the age of 18 are at 6.7 percent in an adult correctional facility (Albanese, Jay S., Dammer, Harry R., pp 291). We as adults know that any type of detention is not a positive outlook for a juvenile and if the committed a crime, they still need to be discipline. In other countries like Ukraine, they use a military style of authority and the staff is in military uniforms (Albanese, Jay S., Dammer, Harry R., pp 292). In addition, in Europe their statics focus on correcting juveniles by instilling education and values (Albanese, Jay S., Dammer, Harry R., pp 292). Other countries can figure it out and the United States can too. Therefore, my recommendation to alternatives to incarcerations is as follows, Mental Health Juvenile Justice, Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI), and the program that most states use is the Juvenile Boot Camp.

Helping adolescents will circumvent the astronomical amount of money made by prison systems. Change is enviable, but many people want to keep things the same. Jails are making money because inmates work for pennies on the dollar. Most prisons support and employ the whole town or city. Lawmakers and prison owners want to continue to reap the revenue benefits. Progressive laws make better living conditions. Challenges from prison owners and lawmakers will make it harder to protect adolescents from being charged like

In the 1980s and 1990s adolences were committing violent crimes that caused a public outcry. The community and courts wanted to have tougher penalities for juvenile offenders. This resulted in the increase of arrest rates and the trend of “get tough” on youth crimes. Judge’s saw the increase in adolence violent offenses would be destined for a life of crime. In responses to this, all states allow adult criminal prosecution of children under certain circumstances and this can cause a sentence of juvenile life without parole (LWOP).

There have been many studies conducted that examine ways in which the juvenile justice system responds to female offenders. Historically juvenile female offenders have been treated under status offense jurisdiction (Zahn et al., 2010, p. 10). United States Courts would exercise the principle of “parens patriae” to place the female in detention as a form of punishment for misbehavior (Sherman, 2012, pp. 1589-1590). This principle also remains prevalent as it pertains to how the juvenile justice system currently responds to juvenile female offenders.

The United States leads the world in the incarceration of young people, there are over 100,000 youth placed in jail each year. Locking up youth has shown very little positive impact on reducing crime. Incarcerating youth have posed greater problems such as expenses, limited education, lack of employment, and effect on juveniles’ mental and physical well-being.

Most of the time, the system has proven itself to be unsuccessful in dealing with juvenile crimeMost often, the system is unsuccessful. “There are kids who are five times more likely to be raped or otherwise sexually assaulted in adult prisons than in juvenile facilities. The risk of suicide is likewise much higher for juveniles in adult jails.”(How to reduce crime Pg 3). When juveniles are sent to jail, they are still relatively impressionable from people in the prison, and may go back into crime after they’re released, hindering rehabilitation and just creating another violent criminal in the world. The court sentencing the criminal is also at

A common assumption about young people who commit violent crimes is that they are simply born evil and that nothing good can come of their lives. From this perspective, the only solution is to punish these young offenders by locking them up, either in prison or in a place for teenagers designed to make their lives as miserable as possible. Such an approach suggests that young people who hurt or kill others are untreatable. It also suggests that more prisons must be built to make our communities safe. This assumption, however, is a false one. Research shows that violent young offenders can be treated and reformed. In addition, it shows that when young people fail to receive treatment,it does

In the early 1990’s crimes committed by teenagers were many, it looked like the crimes were growing in faster rate. California passed a “tough new law against juvenile offenders.” Under California’s new law, Juveniles are now more likely to get harsher punishment including the possibility of getting locked up in adult’s prison. The law then quickly spread through US, about 45 states started using the adult’s justice system. However, the law does not help solve the issue, it actually makes it worst; Adult justice system interferes with Freud’s psychoanalytic theory, it is like pausing teenagers development of the super ego, the super ego is what teaches us our surrounding, it guides us through what is right and wrong. When juvenile offenders are sent to prison, they do not have normal human interactions to develop their super ego in a good way, when they are released back to the society, it is hard for them to adopt, therefore they will either commit another crime or take their own life. Alonza Thomas, born on November 2nd in 1984 in Bakersfield California is the first juvenile offender In the United States to be charged by the new law. Thomas just turned 16 when he was convicted of armed robbery and sent to adult’s prison.

In Miller v. Alabama (2012), the United States Supreme Court determined that mandatory life sentences without the possibility of parole is unconstitutional to juvenile offenders. This decision is agreeable upon because adolescents do not receive the opportunity to reform themselves. As the Court suggests, life in prison violates the Eighth Amendment, which accounts for a ban on cruel and unusual punishment. However, juveniles still must be held accountable for their actions and should be sentenced to a fair verdict according to their crime, whether they are an adult or not.

Each individual lives in the US nowadays is influenced by juvenile crime. It sways parents, neighbors, teachers, and families. It influences the sufferers of crime, the executors, and the witness. While crime rates have been declining, rates remains high. There have been numerous programs that have tried to lower this rate. A few are truly unbeaten, whereas a lot of others have least or no impact. These programs are ravage of our sources. It is important to verify the effectiveness of various programs, and to distinguish what will work and what doesn't. In this manner, the most thriving programs can be executed and enhanced, while those that don't work are stopped.

It may seem shocking that America has one of the highest crime rates per capita compared to other similar industrialized nations. Over the years, there have been many discussions and efforts in order to reduce this problem. Perhaps one of the more sensitive issues when discussing crime in America is the problem of juvenile crime. Recently, juveniles make up 3% of all felonies committed each year and 6% of all violent crimes (criminamerica.net). These statistics have troubled politicians for decades as they have worked to find a solution. Starting in 1994 the Clinton administration started putting stricter punishment on juvenile offenders, but it was quickly realized that this harsh punishment may not be the best solution. Various studies and programs put into action have shown that early prevention in a child’s life is much more effective and more cost efficient in reducing crime. Because of these efforts, juvenile crime has reduced 68% since the violent boom of the 1990s. In light of these discoveries, it is important for states to focus on these results in order to reduce crime.