Treatment Programs for Juvenile Delinquents - Essay Example

Treatment Programs for Juvenile Delinquents “Children who commit serious crimes still have the ability to change their lives for the better.  It is now time for state and federal officials to take positive steps by enacting policies that seek to redeem children, instead of throwing them in prison for the rest of their lives.”   -  (David Berger, Teen Advocates USA). Juvenile offenses pose a serious problem and are most often a major chunk of the criminal activity of any particular community. Rehabilitation is considered essential, as adolescents deserve special care in the formative stage of life if they are offenders as it would help in correcting them before they reach adulthood. The current programs may not be very effective and requires strengthening in order to reduce future criminal activities. The fact that criminal behavior is related to the person’s upbringing could be true to a certain extent as many criminals were once juveniles too. This proves that if juvenile delinquency is not addressed in the right manner it could lead to further problems. Juvenile rehabilitation does not mean they are put behind bars in fact it focuses on corrective methods with various personality improvement schemes wherein their misdemeanors are set right. This program is an art as it is programmed to suit each individual, as each one has different needs and reasons for misbehaving. Studies show that most of the juveniles in incarceration said the reason for their behavior was due to the lack of belonging which is why they resort to criminal activities in order to feel a part of something big. This makes it all the more essential that we reach out to the child in the early stages to avoid the problem becoming persistent. Rehabilitation psychology has many sections like health and behavior consultations, counseling and psychotherapy and Cognitive remediation. All of which help the individual to adapt better in the society and be independent in the community as well. The psychotherapy attends to their emotional problems and is centered on hope and fulfillment to live a better life. Family and friends are encouraged to get involved in order to improve upon the care and attention of their loved one. Along with this assessment, counseling, wellness promotion, job placement, and education and consultation are also part of the program. The problems currently faced in these centers are overcrowding which is due to two factors. First is the increase in the number of juvenile offenses along with this is the increased time they get to spend in these facilities. This is due to the fact that the crimes being committed are of a more serious nature and the fact that some of them don’t get the required program, due to which their parole gets delayed. Along with the above the desired training and education has been decreasing steadily which can be related to the limited budget plans. Juvenile rehabilitation instead of focusing on a fixed budget for incarceration, can look at making use of some of it to add more features and activities for the children to involve themselves. The other pitfall is clash between custodial staff and treatment workers and the fact that there are restrictions on relations between staff and juveniles. The lack of resources and experienced personnel is a source of contention as well. The female juveniles are at a setback for lack of appropriate programs and are forced to settle for stereotyped and restrictive programs which lack in education and treatment opportunities. This is true for the minorities as well. These educational drawbacks can cripple the future and is a disadvantage for incarcerated girls. However, the needs of young women in juvenile rehabilitation can get us to look at well defined and integrated programs of intervention that take care of various issues and the increased needs of individuals. A fairly new approach is the What works behavioral treatment which stresses on the basic health and welfare requirements of youth to ensure they are safe and well taken care of. As a follow up to the psychological part the general needs that lead to the crime are looked at with increased attention given to consistent offenders. The programs here include everything from drug rehabilitation to violence treatments. These programs are specially designed to adapt to each individual requirement and style. Rehabilitation psychology is a tool which helps in making them live a more productive and fulfilled life by accepting their drawbacks. The programs are also designed to work with parents and relatives as the family plays a big role in the individual’s mental recovery. Rather than punishment it is intervention that proves more powerful when treating juveniles. Parent involvement enables the child to adjust back in society better by becoming responsible with better values. According to studies the best that can be expected of juvenile rehabilitation programs is that they incorporate programs with added value to vocational and educational training. The best effect can be achieved with the evidence-based programs that have the track record of results and which can be tailored to suit various environments. This would be best when combined with committed professionals and dedicated volunteers who contribute to the system and help the children get a second chance. Professionals should be allowed to make decisions based on characteristics and environment that is not clouded by principles. The strict administration of standard principles must be replaced by building a better ground for professional judgment in the rehabilitation system. A responsive program should be introduced which would keep the adolescents engaged in meaningful activities and focus more on practical or physical education instead of the formal training which requires more concentration. Learning improvement should help the majority of the inmates who are illiterate with fundamentals to improve their vocational training which would then help them make a decent living when reformed. They should be helped to cope with negative influences which they would encounter in their familiar setting when released and make them better judges of situations and people. A study on the aspects of life and ethics can make them own up responsibility for their past actions instead of perpetuating it. Most of the rehabilitation centers do not have specialized education assistance for the disabled juveniles who require individualized curricula. This should be looked into to cater to the disabled to help them stabilize their future. Ensuring safe and sanitary conditions are a crucial necessity especially due to the overcrowding of these facilities. Rehabilitation Theories There are two major types of Psychological theories which stress on the particular individuals conditioning capabilities. The psychoanalytic theory which is based on instant gratification and explains acts like petty thefts, which could be due to some childhood trauma which has blocked the ego from developing normally. The social learning theory is based the persons acceptance of rules and laws of society. Positive influences in the home the individual absorb positive values but when the family is dysfunctional the person turns to violence to cope with frustrations. Two other forms of sociological theories are the strain theory and the labeling theory. The strain theory states that everyone has goals but the individual will find illegitimate ways of achieving them. The labeling theory projects the individual as a criminal or non-criminal, wherein the person identify themselves from the reactions their behavior receives in order to set goals in life. The social control theory is based on attachment to another person, lack of commitment to social values and involvement in positive activities along with belief where the person lives in an area without sound values. Furthermore the biological theories state that an individual tends to commit crime due to inherited genetic factors e.g. sloping forehead or large earlobes etc. Part of the biological theories is the XYY theory which focuses on genetic abnormalities which bring about violent and aggressive behavior in the person. When all these theories are reviewed and applied we can come up with unique solutions designed for each individual. It can help in successfully treating the individual and help him or her to blend well in society with better values and a sense of belonging.   Email Article To A Friend Social Bookmarking Tools close window Theories of Juvenile Delinquency Top of Form Save For Later close window Theories of Juvenile Delinquency Top of Form Type in your e-mail address below to receive an automated reminder to come back and read this piece of content. Your e-mail address will not be used for anything other than the automated reminder. Your email address: Bottom of Form Email Article To A Friend Social Bookmarking Tools close window Theories of Juvenile Delinquency Top of Form         Works Cited Geraldine Hinter. News and events. Media Release. 22nd Dec, 2003. http://www.unisa.edu.au/news/2003/221203.asp Rehabilitation today. Juvenile Rehabilitation for Delinquent Children. 16th Aug, 2008. http://rehabilitationtoday.com/news/news/juvenile-rehabilitation-for-delinquent-children.html Chapter Eleven. Institutions for juveniles. 16th Aug, 2008. http://www.rsu.edu/faculty/dnewcomb/ch11.htm Deval L Patrick. Investigation of Juvenile Facilities in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. 16th Aug, 2008. http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/split/documents/prjuvfind.htm Barbe Stamps. Teen advocates USA. All children have the right to constitutional and statutory protections. 16th Aug, 2008. 10 Reasons Why Juveniles Should Not Be Tried or Sentenced as Adults. http://www.teenadvocatesusa.org/10reasonswhy.html Kristina Jones. Ac Associated Content. Theories of Juvenile Delinquency. 27th Feb, 2007. Why Young People Commit Crimes. 17th Aug, 2008. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/155156/theories_of_juvenile_delinquency.html?cat=47 Read More