Juvenile group home

 Group home as an alternative to incarceration

            Group homes is a residential facility where juveniles with low-level offenses and high-level offenses experience therapeutic responses and extensive contact with the community. These group home settings were created in the 1960s, and research and studies have reported the effectiveness of these group homes in reducing re-offense (Chambliss, 2011).  The group home can be effective as an alternative to incarceration in that these group houses reduce crowding and, the cost that could be used in building juvenile detention centers. Also, group home protects juvenile offenders from institutionalization, separates the juveniles with low-level offenses from juveniles with high-level crimes and, connects the juvenile offenders to the family and community.  Studies show that 70% of the detained youth re-offend within two years.  Thus, group house play a significant role in offering rehabilitation services and maintaining public safety than confinement.  Juvenile offenders have been going through difficulties in that 25% are treated as adults in the criminal justice system (Chambliss, 2011). The purpose of juvenile group house is to protect the juveniles from encountering these challenges and placing them in alternative facilities.  Note that detention and confinement affect children mentally and academically and they meet difficulties in finding employment. This occurs because when the child is incarcerated, he or she develops depression, suicidal thoughts, develops learning disability, lack opportunities for growth and positive ties (Chambliss, 2011).Thus, it is important to conduct an effective risk assessment of juvenile detention and focus on improving group houses to reduce re-offense, re-arrest, overcrowding in detention centers, and more importantly, help juvenile maintain ties with families and community.

Drawbacks

At first, the group homes were established to hold young offenders with low-level offenses, but the home settings have changed in that young offenders with high-level offenses are also taken to these homes. Rather than offering pro-social support, the group homes are associated with negative peer influences and the risk for delinquency in future.  Referring to the contagion effect, it is important to understand that there is a likelihood that young offenders will spread their deviant behavior to others through interaction. This will occur because, in the home setting, there is no individual need method or proper assessment of evidence-based programs to determine the criminogenic needs (Chambliss, 2011). Thus, it means that both offenders with low-level offenses and the high-level offense will mingle and this will result in a problematic mixture of the peer. The offenders with low-level crimes will be in a vulnerable position to engage in severe delinquent behaviors. In other words, the disadvantage of group homes is that they act as ‘deviancy schools' where young offenders learn antisocial behaviors from others due to the mixed-company (Chambliss, 2011). According to the social cognitive theory, when delinquent young and victimized youths mix and lack substantial safeguards, the rate of delinquency will increase (Chambliss, 2011). Regarding costs, independent and for-profit, companies need a higher cost and adhere to minimum standards from the State.These companies require training and qualification to provide quality care. Not only do group house need cost for maintenance but group house owned by State or community-based are unable to offer one-on-one attention. A high cost is required to address individual needs and competency development. Another disadvantage of group homes is that there is a resistance from the local community in that even though the community is responsible in providing a supportive environment to the young offenders, community members also resist the placement of these offenders. Community members are concerned with personal and property safety and protest through hall meetings and local media arguing that young offenders are a threat to the neighborhoods. Despite the fact that community with abundant resources such as healthy recreation opportunities, good school, and peer network should support and encourage pro-social behaviors, they are the most resistant to youth group homes (Chambliss, 2011). 

 

Challenges

There are challenges associated with using group homes. First, young offenders in the group homes are treated like second-class human beings.  Rather than receiving intensive care, children are vulnerable to violence such as sexual exploitation. Group homes act as a breeding grounds for all forms of exploitation and children encounter domestic sex trafficking, drug abuse, and prostitution. Other challenges met in the house group is that young offender face instability due to poor housing quality, overcrowding and mixing with children from a different background (Chambliss, 2011). Lack of stability hinders family and community reinsertion, and the juvenile justice system does not achieve the goals of improving the pro-social functioning and reducing recidivism. The group homes are not able to create stable programs, and thus they offer ‘false services' since specific needs are of the children are not met (Chambliss, 2011). The point is that lack of program effectiveness is the main cause of all the challenges that are met. The foster parents or staffs who are responsible for providing may be unwilling and may fail to tolerate children's behaviors.  Another challenge is that the peer contagion is likely to shape deviant behaviors through the socialization process.

 

Other alternative to detention programs

Functional Family Therapy

Functional Family Therapy is an alternative to incarceration where intervention is offered in a community setting, clinic setting and home-based model. This is a program designed to help young offenders who suffer from aggression, drug abuse disorder, conduct disorder and, disruptive behavior disorder by involving the families and providing home-based therapy (Alexander, 2013). Family involvement in functional family therapy play a significant role in that families attends the weekly sessions and learn strategies to apply in helping the child develop desirable behaviors.  Family members understand the family behaviors and improve communication and daily interaction with the child (Alexander, 2013). The therapist provides the family members with strategies such as problem-solving skills, mood management strategies and communication skills to use to change the behaviors.

 

 House arrest

            This is an alternative to incarceration and a community-based program where offenders live at home and continue with day-to-day activities such as working. This program re-merged in the 1970s and 1980s and many States decided to place nonviolent offenders in home confinement sanctions and control the costs that were incurred in jails and prison beds (Tonry, 1997).  Offenders are restricted in their residences and have a minimal opportunity in attending places such as work and school. The offender should comply with the conditions of releases offered by the judges.  An example of home confinement program is the electron monitoring where electronic equipment is used to report whether the offender is complying with terms and conditions or not (Tonry, 1997). The equipment transmits an alarm signal and the probation officer senses if the offender has left the residence.

 Restorative justice within group homes

Restorative justice is based on the restoration of the victim into the community and to a life-abiding life.   The offender brings harm to the victim and the community at large and efforts are needed to heal the harm.  The role of restorative justice is to give the offender, the victims and the community members and opportunity to meet, discuss the crime and its impact and find a resolution.  Restorative practices involve interacting with children rather than doing things for them.  In other words, the care provider should not use punitive and authoritarian model, but staff needs to develop staff-student interaction and staff-to-staff interaction (Miller, 2008).  In the group homes, staff should apply the restorative framework where wrongdoers and the victim will be given social encouragement, they will be empowered, and they will change their behaviors and develop a sense of responsibility (Miller, 2008)..  Group homes and restorative justice develops a therapeutic community where the offender and the victims develop a culture of belonging and more importantly creates social and psychological change.

Recommendation

Group home is a good solution since they act as an alternative facility where children receive nonpunitive treatment, learns prosocial behaviors and other important skills related to spirituality, responsibility, and empowerment (Chambliss, 2011).  Note group homes act as a reinforcement setting where young offenders interact with adults and learn pro-social skills.  The important thing in the group homes is the programs designed to meet the child's welfare. Also, for children to receive treatment safely, they need a least restrictive environment, special programs, and trained staff. This resource will assist the young offenders who suffer from substance abuse, and other issues develop emotional and behavioral changes (Chambliss, 2011). Group homes are the best place to be in that children experience life transition by participating in therapy, day-to-day activities, and learning activities. More importantly, the group home helps the teens gain self-esteem and teaches them on how to manage anger and become accountable for own behaviors. Group home is a therapeutic setting where each need is met. Group homes are also less expensive in terms of staffing and operations compared with detention (Chambliss, 2011).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reference

 

Chambliss, W. J. (2011). Key issues in crime and punishment. Thousand Oaks, Calif: SAGE.

 

Tonry, M. (1997). Intermediate sanctions in sentencing guidelines. Washington: U.S. Department of

Justice.

 

Miller, H. V. (2008). Restorative justice: From theory to practice. Bingley: Emerald JAI

 

Alexander, J. F. (2013). Functional family therapy for adolescent behavior problems. Washington, D.C:

American Psychological Association.