There are multiple theories and philosophies concerning how best to handle juvenile offenders. The primary goal in all of them is the same: to prevent recidivism and incorporate the juvenile offender back into society as productive, well-adjusted citizens. It is of value then to examine the various methodologies currently being utilized to attempt to accomplish this goal. The comparison of rehabilitative or other interventions, such as mentorship, job training, criminal punishment, and incarceration is a relevant tool in determining the proper way to stem the behaviors and reach a successful outcome for the lives of these juveniles.
Effective intervention is essential in designing a strategy to minimize the rates of juvenile delinquency. Rehabilitation is a positive and progressive intervention strategy that focuses on addressing the needs of the offender by identifying and modifying the risk factors. Rehabilitative interventions such as; probation intervention, dialectical behavior therapy, mentorship, and cognitive skills training are likely to reduce the number of juvenile offenders (Dubois et al., 2011). Rehabilitation is a crucial step for juvenile delinquents and the re-entry into the community. Rehabilitation is a preferred intervention strategy as opposed to the retributive model which is mainly focused on punishment as a deterrence approach (Dubois et al., 2011). Through rehabilitation, juvenile offenders create a foundation that guides them to lead a healthy and crime-free lifestyle once they join the mainstream society.
Probation intervention restricts offenders to specific rules as stipulated by the law. Once a juvenile offender has been placed on probation they must adhere to the conditions specified by the juvenile court. Some of the requirements for probation intervention require that the offender enrolls in educational programs, stay in employment, and stay away from certain people and areas within their community (Hjalmarsson, 2008). Juvenile offenders are under the supervision of a probation officer who monitors the offender as they commit to deter from criminal behaviors. Offenders are also required to report to their probation officer frequently.
Mentorship programs are viewed as effective approaches that enhance positive development among young people. According to Dubois et al., (2011), mentorship is an effective intervention strategy as it possesses socio-emotional, cognitive and identity processes that impact various domains of youth functioning. Juvenile delinquents benefit from mentorship programs as they can learn and imitate appropriate knowledge, skills, and abilities from the mentorship programs.
Cognitive skill training is part of social skill training for juvenile offenders. The training mainly focuses on enhancing the reasoning and rehabilitation skills of the offender. Furthermore, cognitive training invests in the foundation of the offender's behavior by improving individual skills such as; self-control, critical thinking and problem-solving. This is achieved by correcting specific cognitive deficits in a juvenile offender such as; impulsive decision making, the absence of goal-setting practices and insufficient interpersonal and social skills.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) focuses on four primary areas; effective interpersonal skills, emotional regulation, core mindfulness skills, and distress tolerance skills (Baglivo, 2014). DBT is an intervention strategy that assists juvenile offenders to be aware of their emotions through mindfulness skills (Baglivo, 2014). Similar to cognitive skill training, DBT helps juvenile delinquents to use their distress tolerance skills and address the impulsive decisions that expose them to high-risk behaviors. Additionally, it helps juvenile offenders observe their behaviors and emotions without being judgmental.
Irrespective of the cons of rehabilitation, it is important to note that rehabilitation must be adequate to produce the desired outcomes. Lack of enough staff and resources may deter the rehabilitation process since offenders do not have sufficient access to the help they need. As a result, the consequences of ineffective rehabilitation programs negatively affect the offender and the community around them.
Juvenile punishment such as incarceration increases the frequency of engagement in criminal activities in the future. This is because early imprisonment denies the youth an opportunity to better themselves through educational programs. For instance, most of the incarcerated juveniles do not complete their high school education. According to Hjalmarsson (2008), 39% of incarcerated juveniles have minimal chances of graduating from high schools whereas 41% of them have a high possibility of entering the adult correctional facilities by the age of 25 years. Juvenile incarceration as a form of punishment has adverse long-term effects compared to those that have received rehabilitation services.
Conclusion
Rehabilitation is a continuous process that assists the offender in committing to a positive lifestyle without engaging in criminal activities. However, it is not certain that an offender will benefit from a specific rehabilitation intervention strategy. Therefore, it is crucial to design an intervention strategy that is focused on meeting the needs of the offender. On the other hand, punishment can protect the community from criminal acts committed by the offender during the period that an offender is incarcerated. However, the impacts of punishment generate long-term effects on the juvenile offender and the community around them. Juvenile offenders that have been detained are more likely to engage in criminal acts once they have been released compared to those that have been rehabilitated to re-enter the community.
References
Baglivo, M. T., Jackowski, K., Greenwald, M., " Wolff, K. T. (2014). Comparison of multisystemic therapy and functional family therapy effectiveness. Criminal Justice and Behavior,
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Borduin, C. M., Schaeffer, C. M., " Heiblum, N. (2009). A randomized clinical trial of multisystemic therapy with juvenile sexual offenders: Effects on youth social ecology and criminal activity. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 77(1), 26-37.
Dubois, D., Portillo, D., Rhodes, J., et al., (2011). How Effective Are Mentoring Programs for Youth? A Systematic Assessment of the Evidence. Sage Journals; 12 (2), pp. 57–91
Hjalmarsson, R (2008), "Criminal Justice Involvement and High School Completion," Journal of Urban Economics 63: 613-630.
