School Delinquency Prevention Program

School Delinquency Prevention Program

Delinquency prevention is an initiative that was introduced into the United States system of justice in 1974, with the aim of protecting the rights of errant juveniles, and preventing them from continuing criminal activities into adulthood. Greenwood (2008) points out that a good crime-prevention program is one that incorporates policies that work to ensure that the participants are molded to become more responsible, law abiding adults. In his view, before any crime prevention program is designed, empirical studies should be carried out to determine the various risk elements that the youth in that particular area are likely to face. This would help in developing a risk-specific prevention program that would "reduce crime much more cost-effectively than any of the other approaches that have been tried - including tougher sentencing" (Greenwood, 2008, p.4).

Outlining the Forms of Delinquent Behaviors to be Prevented

This is the first and most fundamental step in the development of any crime-prevention program. This is so, because it forms the basis of the program, and helps in determining the strategies to be implemented in ensuring the success of the same. This, additionally, stresses the need to conduct a research study, to assist in determining the clients' risk levels, which will make it easier to "predict trajectories for particular types of youth" (Greenwood, 2008, p.7). As Siegel and Welsh (2008) point out, substance and drug abuse, violence, impulsiveness, inadequate parental care, and health problems (especially mental), are some of the most common causes of action. A good after- school program should seek to address these risk factors, right from the onset of childhood, all the way to the late periods of adolescence (Siegel & Welsh, 2008).

I will first discuss the general elements of a good crime-prevention plan, and then lay out some of the key behavior-correcting strategies that have, in the past, been found to be significantly effective in reducing delinquency levels.

The General Elements of a Good Delinquency Prevention Program

Comprehensive and Interactive in Nature

A crime prevention program that equips parents with the relevant training needed to monitor and guide their children's behavior, would, more often than not, be effective in realizing its delinquent prevention goals, as it "makes it less likely for individuals to engage in crime in the first place" (Greenwood, 2008, p.11). As the author acknowledges, the families of errant youth would always be willing to participate in any initiatives that are geared at realizing the latter's positive behavioral change. In his view, interventions that are more family-engaging have, in the past, proved to be an effective way to deal with disruptive youth.

Client Specific

A good program should put more emphasis on individual focus. This would make it possible for different problem behaviors to be addresses in different ways, as well as ensure that there exists personalized strategies, to differently deal with 'low risk' and 'at risk' juveniles (Sigel & Welsh, 2008). The ultimate role of any delinquent program, after all, is to "alter beliefs, attitudes, tastes, skills, thinking process" (Greenwood, 2008, p.15), which are unique to all individuals.

Allow for Engagement with Schools

Given that the youth spend a significant number of hours and, probably years at school, then schools would, naturally, have a large extent of control on their behavior (Greenwood, 2008, p.16). However, as the author notes, schools are usually faced with, among others, challenges of insufficient resources, and lack of trained personnel, to handle cases of delinquency. Engaging with the schools found in an area would, therefore, assist the delinquent prevention program developers acquire the information that they would need to tailor their strategies, to ensure that they can adequately fill these gaps.

The Specific Qualities of a Good Delinquency Prevention Program

It is important to note, at this point, that, unlike the general elements discussed above, the behavior-altering strategies are more offence-specific; therefore, different strategies will be applicable to different sets of offenders. In an era characterized by the development of numerous delinquent programs; and most people feeling that the juvenile justice system has failed to meet its intended objectives, it is necessary that potential program-directors employ the most effective strategies, to ensure a successful corrective process, and, to, consequently, rebuild public confidence.

The success of any delinquent prevention program depends on its ability to ensure that its participants stick to doing what is right. As Howell (2003) points out, "electronic monitoring can be used in monitoring for compliance, with conditions of probation, such as curfew restrictions" (p.140). Baumer, Maxfield and Mendelssohn (as cited in Howell, 2003), contend that, monitoring juveniles through electronic technology would hugely reduce cases of absconding.