Discuss the below:
1) Our text shares with us that "acting-out behavior - running away, attempting suicide, engaging in self-mutilation, becoming sexually promiscuous, being on drugs, and having a high level of apathy" can be seen in teens who have been sexually abused as very young children. What are your thoughts after reviewing The Traumatic Impact of Child Sexual Abuse? For the perpetrator of a crime, is this a mitigating factor that reduces culpability? How so or why not?
2) Read Starting Smart: How Early Experiences Affect Brain Development. How does this information impact the study of juvenile justice? What ideas do you have for using this information in the development of programs and services for juveniles, their families, and their communities?
3) Read the article Constitutional Rights and Protecting Children. Where do you stand on the issue? Does the state have a compelling interest in protecting children from abuse that is superior to that of parental rights and the rights of children? Why or Why not?