Future of Juvenile Justice

The Future of Juvenile Justice
1. Do you think the United States will be better or worse in terms of the number of juvenile offenders and the severity of the offenses in the next 20 years? Why?
I think that the United States will be considerably better in regard to the number of juvenile offenders in tandem with the severity of the offenses committed in the next two decades. Since the onset of the 2000s, endeavors by legislators, non-profit organizations in addition to private citizens comparable have pressed for more rehabilitative endeavors to be employed in juvenile justice cases. What is definite, at least, is that the juvenile crime rate has declined substantially from the onset of the 2000s and most of them still continue to decline on an annual basis. Sustained and unrelenting efforts on the part of all persons involved within the juvenile justice system will help in the sustenance of this trend and will optimistically dismiss the stigma and negative perception of juveniles (MST Services, 2018).
2. What do you think are the top three contributing factors to juvenile offenders in the United States? What can be done to help solve the problem?
Comprehending why juveniles commit crimes is pivotal to the prevention of future crimes from taking place. Dealing with these issues has given rise to the decisions and the choices that the juvenile has carried out can enable them change their actions in the future. There are different contributing factors to juvenile offenders in the United States. The top three contributing factors comprise of:
i. Substance abuse
Substance abuse within the home setting or by the child is a very prevalent reason for delinquency. Imperatively, children who are wide-open to substance abuse more often than not lack the necessities required to survive and as a result seek to obtain these necessities in different ways. Usually, some of the kids that end up being dependent on the substances may also need to partake in omitting crimes in order to sustain their perceptive and behavior (Baysinger Law, 2018).
There are a number of things that can be done to help in solving this problem. First, it is essential to provide with counseling and treatment, which is the sole real; remedy to assist these juveniles. This sort of circumstance can result in their self-assurance to deteriorate and allow them to carry out acts that they would not have otherwise taken into consideration (Howell, 2003).
ii. Violence in the household and social circles
One of the major contributing factors to juvenile delinquency is violence within the household. When a youngster is subjected to violence, there is a high likelihood that they will transform into violent individuals. Specifically, teenagers that are subjected to violent activities and also witness them have a greater likelihood of acting out their terrors and frustrations and they have a tendency of lashing out at other individuals. In the same manner, if the community in which a youngster lives is violent, he or she will have an inclination to be more susceptible to delinquency (Baysinger Law, 2018).
Some of the things that can be done to combat this issue is taking such children through counseling and therapy to speak out and deal with their experiences. Secondly, it is suggested that such children be taken out of such violent neighborhoods in order to avoid witnessing crime (National Research Council, 2013).
iii. Socioeconomic Factors
Another key factor contributing to juvenile delinquency is socioeconomic factors. Usually, juvenile delinquency is more prevalent in poorer communities. In spite of the face that all vicinities are not exempted from delinquent activities, it is deemed they take place more in regions where juveniles feel they ought to commit crimes to succeed. For instance, crimes such as theft and other similar ones might in fact be owing to necessity rather than then being simply petty crimes (Baysinger Law, 2018).
One of the ways in which such an issue can be resolved is to make certain that children within such environs have accessibility to what they necessitate and comprehend that they to do not have to commit crimes in order to succeed or advance in life (National Research Council, 2013).
3. Do you think that, in our present system, juveniles have the ability to straighten out their lives? (Obviously, this is a very general question.)
In my opinion, I think that in our present system, there is no efficacy and the juveniles have the capacity to straighten out their lives. To begin with, the lack of parole in juvenile delinquent sentences implies that the offenders are not able to prove that they have reformed. This is not the main objective of sentencing. It should be intended for rehabilitation rather than punishment. Secondly, more than 60 percent of the youth encompasses with the juvenile justice system face mental health issues, plenty of whom can be safely and more efficaciously treated in community settings as compared to within the juvenile system (Smith, 2013).
4. How do you think your view of the future will impact the United States as a nation? Explain.
I believe that my view of the future will affect the U.S as a nation by facilitating less crime amongst juveniles. This also improves the society as a whole because the jails become less crowded and the young individuals are able to build their future and also build the nation as a whole.
Beijing Rules
1. Should the United States follow the Beijing Rules? Why or why not?
The United States should follow the Beijing Rules.
2. Are there other programs out there that the United States should follow?
Apart from the Beijing Rules, there are other programs out there that the United States should follow. A fitting example is the United Nations guidelines for the prevention of juvenile delinquency, also referred to as the Riyadh Guidelines. Imperatively, these guidelines institute the rules and regulations for facilitating how to prevent juvenile delinquency in addition to protection measures for youngsters living marginalized and those experiencing abandonment, neglect and also abuse (International Juvenile Justice Observatory, 2019).
3. Are juvenile offenders treated better in the United States than they would be in other countries? Explain.
There are ways in which treatment of juvenile offenders is much better in the United States as compared to other nations. Specifically, the United States is effective in facilitating rehabilitation and restoration amongst the juvenile offenders (Johns, 2018).
4. Are there ways in which juvenile offenders in the United States are treated worse than in other countries? Explain.
I believe that there are ways in which juvenile offenders are treated in a worse way in the United States as compared to how they would be treated in other nations. Notably, juvenile life without the chance of parole has been completely American punishment for a number of decades now. Determinations to terminate these harsh sentences for the nation’s youngest offenders have started but a lot of work continues to remain. In addition, there is also racial discrimination in juvenile delinquency. Imperatively, the American justice system impacts minorities in a greater way as compared to white people (Johns, 2018).
References
Baysinger Law. (2018). Factors Contributing to Juvenile Delinquency. Retrieved from: https://baysingerlaw.com/2018/03/factors-contributing-juvenile-delinquency/
Howell, J. C. (2003). Preventing and reducing juvenile delinquency: A comprehensive framework. New York: Sage.
International Juvenile Justice Obervatory. (2019). United Nations guidelines for the prevention of juvenile delinquency (The Riyadh Guidelines). Retrieved from: http://www.oijj.org/en/preguntas-frecuentes#152481-0
Johns, B. (2018). Juvenile Justice in the United States: Juvenile life without parole. Retrieved from: https://medium.com/@bjohns81/juvenile-justice-the-american-justice-system-vs-other-countries-3dc6860c77ad
MST Services. (2018). Trends in Juvenile Crime. Retrieved from: http://info.mstservices.com/blog/trends-in-juvenile-crime
National Research Council. (2013). Reforming juvenile justice: A developmental approach. National Academies Press.
Smith, H. Problems and Solutions in Juvenile Justice. Resource Center Partnership.