On the contrary, those juvenile held in adult jails and prisons do not enjoy these services (Siegel 2009, 671). Understanding that juveniles hold different emotional, safety, social and physical requirements from adult offenders, guidelines requiring certified juveniles to get placements in divergent setting other than adult prisons and jails is paramount. More than sixteen states in America hold certified juveniles in juvenile corrections and not in adult prison until these offenders reach eighteen years.
Six states hold juvenile in juvenile facilities until they attain the age of 21. Pennsylvania and Virginia passed the laws requiring that juveniles, regardless of their crime, get placement in juvenile correction facilities and not in adult jails (Dietch 2011, p.11). This is because juvenile facilities as opposed to adult prisons and jails acknowledges the significance of vocational programs aimed at helping juvenile offenders fit in the society once they are out of the corrections facilities. Exclusive recreational and educational programs are present in juvenile facilities and are beneficial to those tried as juvenile and placed in juvenile correction facilities. Those tried as adults and placed in adult prisons and jails do not enjoy these facilities. Adult prison officials do not include juvenile offenders into programs established for adult offenders because of safety reasons.
Apparently, relocation of juvenile offenders to adult court system does not help in curbing juvenile crime. Instead, a community-centered devotion is paramount as it helps in handling problem linked to behaviors prior to certifying a juvenile offender as an adult. Delinquency prevention and powerful parenting besides involving juvenile in law-abiding and productive activities, is the way to go to prevent crimes among juveniles (Elrod & Ryder 2011, p.232). Children with a record of serious crime or serious offenders should face isolation from the society and taken into juvenile correction facilities to shield the public from their harm and put to remission their influence to other children. Those with mental health issues should receive services of trained mental health practitioners. Most juvenile offenders experiences mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, mental retardation to mention but a few. Others suffer from drug and alcohol abuse. From this perspective, juvenile correction staff requires adequate training in order to handle mental disorders among the young offenders (Elrod & Ryder 2011, p.232). Untrained staff only makes the problem of juvenile offenders with mental health issues worse and these offenders may stay for longer periods in corrections facilities.
It is common for juveniles accused of heinous and serious crimes to receive trial as adults. Judicial waiver facilities allow juveniles to received adult trial for serious crimes (Siegel 2010, p.467). A judge from a juvenile court can decide to waive jurisdiction and transfer a case to a criminal court where the perpetrator of the crime receives an adult trial. This process...
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