Assignment Task: Respond to your classmates' posts. Each response should be a minimum of 100 words and should include your thoughts associated with their posted information. Continue to support your arguments with examples.
Amanda:
Hello everyone,
The juvenile justice system plays a huge role in shaping the futures of young offenders. While some people argue that punishment is the best approach, I believe rehabilitation should be the main goal. Teenagers are still growing and developing, and giving them the chance to reform rather than just punishing them can lead to better long-term results for both individuals and society as a whole.
One of the biggest issues with the juvenile justice system is how well (or poorly) it addresses the root causes of youth crime, like poverty, family problems, and education gaps. Research shows that a lot of kids in the system have experienced trauma, unstable home environments, and lack of access to quality education (Branson et al., 2017). Unfortunately, instead of tackling these deeper issues, the system often leans too heavily on punishment, which doesn't actually fix anything. What we really need are more community-based programs and trauma-informed care to help these kids get the support they need (Branson et al., 2017).
Locking up young offenders raises serious moral concerns. Juvenile detention facilities often expose kids to environments that reinforce criminal behaviors rather than help them change. Studies show that punitive approaches actually increase the likelihood of reoffending, especially when kids aren't given access to education and mental health resources (Javdani, 2019). If the goal is to help these kids get back on track, then we need to rethink how we're handling juvenile crime.
To make the juvenile justice system fairer and more effective, we need some serious changes. First, we should focus on trauma-informed care and provide more mental health resources (Griller Clark & Mathur, 2021). Second, there should be a stronger emphasis on education and job training so that young offenders have the skills they need to succeed after they leave the system. Finally, we need more diversion programs that offer alternatives to incarceration, like community service and mentorship programs (Listwan, 2013).
At the end of the day, rehabilitation should be the main focus of the juvenile justice system. If we truly want to help young offenders turn their lives around, we need to address the root causes of crime, consider the moral issues with incarceration, and push for meaningful reforms. By shifting away from punishment and toward rehabilitation, we can help these kids build better futures while also making our communities safer. Need Assignment Help?
References:
Branson, C. E., Baetz, C. L., Horwitz, S. M., & Hoagwood, K. E. (2017). Trauma-informed juvenile justice systems: A systematic review of definitions and core components. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 9(6), 635-646.
Griller Clark, H., & Mathur, S. R. (2021). Introduction to the Special Series on Behavioral Disorders and Juvenile Justice: Facilitating Effective Reentry Into School and Community. Behavioral Disorders, 46(3), 135-137
Javdani, S. (2019). Critical issues for youth involved in the juvenile justice system: Innovations in prevention, intervention, and policy. Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community, 47(2), 67-75.
Listwan, S. J. (2013). Introduction to juvenile justice. UAGC.