Question
Complete the following modules. These modules are designed to provide an overview of community corrections and probation. Each module contains a short non-graded activity to practice your knowledge prior to completing the Unit 9 Assignment.Module 1: Community CorrectionsModule 2: Probation
Complete the Unit 9 Assignment: Prevention and Treatment Presentation
This week you will identify current prevention and treatment strategies used to address juvenile delinquency.In the context of juvenile delinquency, treatment and prevention take on two different meanings. Treatment is reactive in nature, providing remedies for issues and conditions already present. Prevention, on the other hand, is proactive in nature, concentrating on eliminating or reducing the commission of certain conduct or the presence of certain situations.Create a 10–12 slide PowerPoint presentation which lists current prevention and treatment strategies. Include the following in your presentation:
List four current prevention strategies.
Discuss how effective each prevention strategy is in successfully rehabilitating the juvenile delinquent.
List four current treatment strategies.
Discuss how effective each treatment strategy is in successfully rehabilitating the juvenile delinquent.
Answer
Prevention and Treatment Presentation Juvenile Delinquency
Introduction
- Juvenile delinquency can be defined as the tendency of a minor to commit crimes which are prosecutable in a court of law.
- Close to 1.5 million youths are arrested annually for various offenses ranging from minor acts such as theft and loitering to serious crimes such as murder.
- There have been a change in perception towards child offenders.
Juvenile delinquency can be defined as the tendency of a minor to commit crimes which are prosecutable in a court of law. In the United States, close to 1.5 million youths are arrested annually for various offenses ranging from minor acts such as theft and loitering to serious crimes such as murder (Bates, 2013). Some of the youth also belong to street gangs which use them to perpetrate crimes in return for protection, money, drugs and other rewards. In the past, minor offenders would be treated much the same as adults, including being handed the death penalty. This has changed over the recent period. As such, minor offenders are referred to as delinquent juveniles rather than criminals. This paper will review the various modern prevention and treatment strategies available for successfully rehabilitating juvenile delinquents.
Prevention and Treatment Strategies
- Prevention Strategies include: Education, Recreational activities, Mentoring, and Community involvement.
- Treatment strategies include: Family therapy programs, Correctional youth facilities, multisystemic therapy, and Mediation.
Prevention strategies
Education
Model programs focus on assisting children and families by providing them with critical information.
School programs that focus on a number of areas can help reduce later child delinquency.
Some of the educational programs are designed to provide information to parents on how to raise their children in the proper manner.
Education is one of the major ways in which juvenile delinquency can be reduced. Model programs focus on assisting children and families by providing them with critical information. Some of the educational programs are designed to provide information to parents on how to raise their children in the proper manner. For instance, the educational programs provide information on the impact of drugs, peer pressure, weapons, and other issues. Some of the educational programs are meant to impact behavior change among the youth. School programs can enhance positive behavior change among the youth. For instance, the school curriculum should include programs such as conflict resolution and violence prevention, social competence programs, bullying prevention programs, mentoring programs, and behavior management programs.
Recreational activities
- The importance of recreational programs is that they help fill the unsupervised time between class time and after-school hours.
- Recreational programs keep the youths engaged and hence less likely to commit crimes.
- Recreational programs enable the youth to interact with other youths and adults as well, developing positive friendships.
- Engaging in recreational activities helps the youths in developing high self esteem, gain interpersonal skills, develop teamwork skills, and learn problem-solving skills.
Recreation programs are effective in reducing cases of child delinquency. The importance of recreational programs is that they help fill the unsupervised time between class time and after-school hours. According to Heilbrun (2005), youths are more likely to commit crimes when they are unsupervised or idle. Recreational programs keep the youths engaged and hence less likely to commit crimes. In addition, recreational programs enable the youth to interact with other youths and adults as well. Such interactions are of great significance to the youth. Research indicates that youth who lack sufficient involvement in recreational activities are at a higher risk of engaging in crime. Engaging in recreational activities helps the youths in developing high self esteem, gain interpersonal skills, develop teamwork skills, and learn problem-solving skills. Idle youths are more likely to spend time with peers in activities such as smoking, alcohol drinking, sexual activity, and others which lead to delinquency.
Mentoring
- Mentoring often involves nonprofessional volunteers who engage the youth in a nonjudgmental manner.
- The programs focus on youths who are at high risk of delinquency.
- Mentoring programs helping reduce truancy rate, improve academic performance, and change the behavior patterns of the youth.
- Studies conducted indicate that youths engaged in mentorship programs show improved behavior compared to those who are not in such programs.
Mentoring programs are of great significant in rehabilitating juvenile delinquents. Mentoring often involves nonprofessional volunteers who opt to spend time with the youth and engage them in a nonjudgmental manner in order to instill positive behavior. Mentoring programs focuses on youths who are considered at high risk of delinquency. There are particularly the youths who have dropped out of school or are at risk of gang involvement. According to Bates (2013), mentoring programs are particularly effective helping reduce truancy rate, improving academic performance and changing the behavior patterns of the youth. Studies conducted indicate that youths engaged in mentorship programs show improved behavior compared to those who are not in such programs. Mentoring program dubbed Quantum Opportunities Program conducted by Hahn (1999) indicated that mentorship programs significantly reduced criminal activity among the youth. This study was conducted over a 10-year period, from 1989.
Community involvement
- Community programs may involve scout programs, church youth groups, volunteer groups and others that enhance community participation of the youth.
- Community involvement provides youth with a safe social platform for interaction.
- Community-based approaches aims at improving community organization and developing constructive activities for youths.
Community involvement is also important in successfully rehabilitating the juvenile delinquent. Community programs may involve scout programs, church youth groups, volunteer groups and others that enhance community participation of the youth. Community involvement provides youth with a safe social platform for interaction (Heilbrun, Goldstein, & Redding, 2005). Community-based programs may incorporate a number of interventions aimed at addressing risk factors associated with juvenile delinquency. Just like recreational activities, community-based approaches help the youths to develop high self esteem, gain interpersonal skills, develop teamwork skills, and learn problem-solving skills. Some of the community-based approaches aims at improving community organization and developing constructive activities for youths. Some community organizations engage in neighborhood watch activities where youths at risk of juvenile delinquency are carefully monitored. According to Heilbrun, Goldstein, & Redding (2005), community-based approaches are effective in reducing juvenile delinquency, although studies have provided mixed results on this.
Treatment Strategies
Family therapy programs
- Family therapy programs are aimed at rehabilitating adolescents who have been put on probation due to delinquent behavior.
- Family therapists work hand-in-hand with close family members of the youth so as to instill positive behavior.
- Family therapists can be able to identify source of juvenile delinquency in youths through interacting with their families.
- Family therapy programs can be able to identify and change dysfunctional communication and interaction patterns in families.
Family therapy programs are effective in rehabilitating juvenile delinquents. These programs are aimed at rehabilitating adolescents who have been put on probation due to delinquent behavior (Bates, 2013). Family therapists work hand-in-hand with close family members of the youth so as to instill positive behavior . Numerous researches indicates that the functioning of the family has a significant impact on an adolescents behavior in terms of family bonding, choice of peers, school social relations, conduct disorders, and the probability of developing delinquent behavior. The family is a critical social unit for young persons. Family therapists can be able to identify source of juvenile delinquency in youths through interacting with their families. Family dysfunction is a major source of juvenile delinquency among youths. Family therapy programs can be able to identify and change dysfunctional communication and interaction patterns in families.
Correctional youth facilities
- Correctional youth facilities hold juvenile offenders who have been convicted of serious offences such as violent crimes.
- All juvenile detainees attend mandatory educational training provided in the correctional facilities.
- Juvenile offenders are provided with opportunities for advancing in their education, including proceeding to college level.
- The behavior of youths in these facilities is closely monitored to prevent recidivism.
Correctional youth facilities or detention facilities are meant for restoring errant youth. These facilities hold juvenile offenders who have been convicted of serious offences such as violent crimes (Miller, 2012). These facilities provide young offenders with the opportunity to change their behavior. All juvenile detainees attend mandatory educational training provided in the correctional facilities. They are also expected to meet set standards in these institutions which helps in developing positive behavior. The juvenile offenders are also provided with opportunities for advancing in their education. As such, they are allowed to sit for GED level examinations and proceed to college level. Correctional facilities provide different activities to keep the youths engaged. For instance, youths are engaged in recreational facilities as well as engaged in other activities such as kitchen work, gardening, cleaning, and teaching assistants. Their behavior is closely monitored at these institutions.
Multisystemic therapy
- The multisystemic therapy is a juvenile rehabilitation program that targets chronic offenders.
- Trained therapists work on relatively small caseloads providing care and advice to juvenile delinquents and their families round the clock.
- Common interventions used in this program include rewards, monitoring, establishment of social support networks and discipline systems, and solving issues afflicting parents.
The multisystemic therapy is a juvenile rehabilitation program that targets chronic offenders (Burfeind & Bartusch, 2015). This program provides intensive treatment at the community and family levels. Trained therapists work on relatively small caseloads providing care and advice to juvenile delinquents and their families round the clock. The program aims at developing positive change among the youth by engaging them in their normal environments – home, school and in their neighborhood. This program also aims on equipping parents with better parenting skills. The program identifies and addresses issues with parents that may be contributing to delinquent behavior. This includes such issues as marital conflict, substance abuse by parents, high stress, and among others. Common interventions used in this program include rewards, monitoring, establishment of social support networks and discipline systems, and solving issues with parents (Burfeind & Bartusch, 2015).
Mediation
- Mediation involves use of victim-offender reconciliatory programs as a strategy reducing errant behavior.
- Mediation offers an opportunity for the victim to confront the offender in a regulated environment.
- Medication enables both of the parties involved to agree on an appropriate settlement or compensation.
- Mediation is best for settling non-violent crimes.
Mediation is another strategy that can be effectively used in successfully rehabilitating the juvenile delinquent. Mediation involves use of victim-offender reconciliatory programs as a strategy reducing errant behavior (Miller, 2012). Mediation offers an opportunity for the victim to confront the offender in a regulated environment. Retributive action can follow in part of the offender. Medication enables both of the parties involved to agree on an appropriate settlement or compensation. Trained mediators should lead the entire process. This process is meant to make the aggrieved individuals feel more comfortable and avoiding retaliation behavior. Mediation often involves non-violent crimes such as theft and vandalism. Mediation enables peace to be established. A major benefit in this program is that the offender is given a second chance to reform instead of being locked in detention facilities.
References
Bates, K. (2013). Juvenile delinquency in a diverse society. Los Angeles, Calif. [u.a.: SAGE.
Burfeind, J. W., & Bartusch, D. J. (2015). Juvenile Deelinquency: An Integrated Approach. New York, NY: Routledge.
Heilbrun, K., Goldstein, N. E. S., & Redding, R. E. (2005). Juvenile delinquency: Prevention, assessment, and intervention. New York: Oxford University Press.
Miller, J. M., & United States. (2012). Researching the referral stage of youth mentoring in six juvenile justice settings: An exploratory analysis.
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