Assessing Juvenile Offenders

            The case flow diagram presents the different stages in which juvenile offenders go through in the juvenile justice system. The most significant aspect of this system is the adjudication and dispositional hearing.  In the adjudication stage, the judge listens to the arguments of both parties where each party presents reasoned arguments to support the claim. After presenting the arguments, the judges make decisions and decides who is right and who is wrong.  This state is significant as it helps the judge determine the status of both parties and encourage treatment and rehabilitation.  The judge also gets an opportunity to make fair and consistent decisions through cross-examination, sharing of information, constitutional protections and adhering to rules and regulation (Denholm, Ferguson & Pence, 1993). Juvenile disposition is also important as it focuses on rehabilitation, protection or probation.  The adjudication helps the judges understand the nature of the crime and the possible dispositions that a juvenile offender can receive such as community service, group home placement, secure detention and more.

  In my home state (OHIO), the following preventative programs are used as a rehabilitation strategy to prevent crime and help youth who have engaged in violent behaviors. The first program is the Multi-systemic Therapy- this program is effective as it not only reduces recidivism but it also improves the behaviors of young people. The purpose of this program is to provide community and parents will parenting skills and foster community and the parent-child relationship.  This program shapes the behaviors of the youth, empowers the young and prevents delinquent behaviors (Freeman & Gutiérrez, 2001). Another program is the Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care- this program ensures that young people who have committed crime are put in a foster home where foster parents and therapists work together to help the young offenders change behaviors. The third program is the Functional Family Therapy- the program provide families with parenting skills and tools that foster family bonds. Therapists provide the affected families with treatment strategies thereby preventing crime and improving health.

 There are similarities between the rehabilitation programs in my state and the prevention interventions learned in the class. The textbook talks of group therapy where a therapist meets with the juvenile delinquent to discuss interpersonal behaviors, share problems and develop self-awareness. The mingling creates a positive environment where young people have an active role to share experience, engage in a productive discussion, ask questions and create a relationship (Freeman & Gutiérrez, 2001).  Other rehabilitation techniques include group housing-young offenders are taken in a   home setting where they create healthy attachments.  They live in a safe environment and experience an array of advantages since rather than engaging in criminal activities, they receive guidance and treatment which makes a unique difference in their life (Freeman & Gutiérrez, 2001). These programs and the State program work toward a similar goal of helping young people stop engaging in criminal activities, change behavior and live a productive life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reference

Denholm, C. J., Ferguson, R., & Pence, A. R. (1993). Professional child and youth care. Vancouver: UBC

Press.

 

Freeman, E., & Gutiérrez, L. (2001). Substance Abuse Intervention, Prevention, Rehabilitation, and

Systems Change: Helping Individuals, Families, and Groups to Empower Themselves. New York,

NY : Columbia University Press,