Treatment for Juveniles

Running head : TREATMENT FOR JUVENILES

Treatment for Juveniles

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Treatment for Juveniles

Introduction

Juvenile offenders compose a considerable chunk of criminal offenders confined in various institutions all over the United States (Juvenile offenders , 2003 . In fact , reports show that the number of juvenile offenders has risen over the past decade (Juvenile offenders , 2003 . Two Corrections Compendium surveys conducted ten years apart show that the number of juvenile offenders increased by an average of 11 .5 percent over the said period (Juvenile offenders , 2003 p

The determination of the determining age for persons to be classified as an adult or juvenile offender vary from state to state (Juvenile offenders , 2003 . An accused could execute a waiver to adult court , and the age limit for such a waiver similarly varies in different states (Juvenile offenders , 2003 . For example , in Kansas , the age limit could go for as low as ten years of age , while Illinois has set the bar at seventeen tears (Juvenile offenders , 2003

Considering the rising number of juvenile offenders each year , there is likewise an observed increase in the number of secure juvenile facilities in the country (Juvenile offenders , 2003 . From 95 secure juvenile facilities in 1993 , there are now 169 such facilities based on 22 U .S . reporting systems (Juvenile offenders , 2003

Characteristics of Good Juvenile Facilities

Good juvenile facilities offer various programs for juvenile offenders including academic courses , mental health counseling , life skills training , vocational training , anger management classes , substance abuse education , and religious programs (Juvenile offenders , 2003 . There are also newly integrated programs designed to help juvenile offenders reintegrate themselves in society , in to allow them smoother transition from detention to the outside world (Baltodano , Platt Roberts , 2005 . These programs include sexual health education expressive art therapy , and restorative justice practices (Juvenile offenders , 2003

Issues in Juvenile Treatment

Despite these positive programs , problems in juvenile institutions seem to be inevitable . The foremost among these problems is the population problem owing to the increasing number of juvenile offenders . Other problems include lack of efficient programs and inadequate resources (Juvenile offenders , 2003 . It is therefore clear that there is a need to formulate better programs for this part of the population

One of the best programs regarding juvenile offenders is quality improvement (Wilder , Riley III , Sorensen , 2004 . In Wilder , Riley III and Sorensen 's , they proposed that this kind of program provides many benefits to both clients and the facilities ' staff (2004 . This is because quality improvement gives rise to a strong commitment to learn more about a facility 's clients , processes , and outcomes , in to give further benefit to clients and staff (Wilder , Riley III , Sorensen 2004

One important principle in quality improvement , which would positively apply to juvenile facilities , is customer focus (Wilder , Riley III Sorensen , 2004 . Customer focus is defined as an ongoing process of gathering information from clients about the services offered and the results achieved (Wilder , Riley III , Sorensen , 2004

Customer focus in juvenile facilities has been compared to customer focus as applied to other fields , such as education and business (Wilder , Riley III , Sorensen , 2004 . Thereafter , it is suggested that customer focus would similarly provide valuable insight about the opinions of the juvenile offenders , which would undoubtedly bring about more effective programs in the facility (Wilder , Riley III , Sorensen 2004 . Thus , as in other disciplines , customer focus in juvenile facilities would bring about a cooperative relationship between an organization and its clients , which could help develop customer satisfaction (Wilder , Riley III , Sorensen , 2004

Specifically applying quality improvement in juvenile facilities , the program would require that offenders be asked regarding feedback on the services provided by the facility (Wilder , Riley III , Sorensen , 2004 Such feedback could be gathered from surveys that accurately assess the positive or negative effect of the different programs of the facility on the offenders (Wilder , Riley III , Sorensen , 2004

Conclusion

Applying quality improvement in this manner would allow a facility to determine whether a juvenile offender has effectively acquired skills that he could use within or outside the facility (Wilder , Riley III Sorensen , 2004 . As a last point , it should be remembered that customer focus should be fashioned in such a way that takes into account the fact that a juvenile facility caters to many different interests , which may differ according to an offender 's length of stay or recommitment rate (Wilder , Riley III , Sorensen , 2004 . Moreover , programs should be designed to encourage juvenile offenders to change their outlook in life

This kind of perspective , when applied to juvenile correction facilities , would effectively allow such institutions to assess the needs of their charge , which is a important step towards generating more responsible members of society

References

Baltodano , H . M , Platt , D Roberts , C . W (2005 . Transition from Secure Care to the Community : Significant Issues for Youth in Detention . Journal of Correctional Education 56 (4 ,

. 372-388

Juvenile offenders (2003 . Corrections Compendium 28 (5 ,

. 9-15

Wilder , B . A , Riley III , F . E , Sorensen , L . H (2004 . Quality Improvement in Juvenile Corrections : An Opportunity That Benefits Staff and Clients . Corrections Today 66 (7 ,

. 122-127

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