Alternative Punishment for Juveniles - 2079 Words

Think some teenagers are getting out of hand these days, or heading down the wrong path? There are many different types of alternative punishment; the amount of juvenile crime would dramatically drop if any of these were more greatly enforced. The most effective way to help these teenagers and to get them started down the correct path is enforcing alternative punishment upon them. This form of punishment is sometimes also known as juvenile justice, restorative justice, and community justice (Karp, 2004). One of the most important characteristics of this punishment is the idea of discussion, dialogue, and negotiation between the parties involved in and affected by a given crime (Karp, 2004, ph. 2). This not only forms a connection between†¦show more content†¦Isnt this something that would be well worth the time and money? Students end up at boarding schools do so because they have been unable to get the help that they need elsewhere. Some students need more strict discipline to help them to reform than others (Boarding, 2003). Another type of tough love punishment is military style boot camps. Some may say that there is too much potential for abuse in boot camps. Studies show that participants learn more discipline and are more protected from bad influences, such as in boot camps, have a higher reform rate (Alternative, 2002). All the national research has shown that it takes more than a kick in the pants and someone telling you to march, march, march to really change your thinking and change your behavior, says Pamela Ward of the Texas Youth Commission, which oversees serious youth offenders (Alternative, 2002, ph. 10). All in all, alternative punishment among juveniles needs to be increased and more greatly enforced. They also need to be taken more seriously. Harsher punishment needs to be taken into consideration more often. Curfews are believed by some to help prevent crime among juveniles (Donegan, 1996). I find it very hard to believe that a curfew could have any significant effect on teenagers who are selling drugs, stealing cars or carrying a gun, says Arthur Spitzer, legal director of the ACLU in Washington, D.C. The very thought that they would be deterred by a $500 dollar fine against their parents isShow MoreRelatedJuvenile Offenders And Juvenile Delinquency1053 Words   |  5 PagesJuvenile repeat offenders receive little to no punishment for the crimes that they commit. The disposition that juvenile repeat offenders receive in some states at the highest are community service, detention centers, or probation. What makes a juvenile crime is status offenses. A juvenile status offense consist of crimes that would not under law be considered as crimes by an adult but crimes by juvenile youths. Status offenses consist of truancy, running away, violating curfew, underage possessionRead MoreIncarceration Of Youth And Its Effects On Reducing Crime Essay1750 Words   |  7 Pagescrim e. Incarcerating youth have posed greater problems such as expenses, limited education, lack of employment, and effect on juveniles’ mental and physical well-being. In today’s society there has been an increase in the crimes committed by juveniles. Most juveniles have underlining factors that have caused them to choose this type of lifestyle. Many children in the juvenile system have come from impoverish stricken neighborhoods and are festered with gang activity which has made them a product ofRead MoreAnalysis Of The Cycle Of Juvenile Justice1342 Words   |  6 PagesRunning head: CYCLE JUVENILE JUSTICE​ ​1 Analysis of the Cycle of Juvenile Justice Theory Name School ​​ Professor Class Date Analysis of the Cycle of Juvenile Justice Theory ​In the text, Thomas Bernard examines the cyclical nature of the juvenile justice system (Weisheit Culbertson, 2000, p. 13-31). 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Essay1043 Words   |  5 Pages What age defines a person as an adult? In some states, such as Texas, you are considered an adult at 17 years of age. Other state’s juvenile systems make you liable to be tried as an adult at the age of 18. Law enforcement officials have been questioning the age of being tried as an adult for the past 40 years. Recently, they have come to the conclusion that children between the ages of 1 6 and 18 who commit adult crimes should be tried and sentenced as adults. After researching information and casesRead MoreCapital Punishment : The Death Penalty1644 Words   |  7 Pages Death Penalty in America Death penalty, which is often described as capital punishment, is pronounced on offenders who have committed extremely heinous crimes. It is an ancient practice but in the United States it has faced several controversies in the latter half of the twentieth century (Robertson, 14). Does the death penalty serve any purpose in our current judicial system? Criminal executions were first implemented in our society as a crime deterrent to ensure that the offenders cannot engageRead MoreJuvenile Delinquency Essay examples1465 Words   |  6 PagesAs stated by Bartol and Bartol â€Å"Juvenile delinquency is an imprecise, nebulous, social, clinical, and legal label for a wide variety of law- and norm-violating behavior† (2011, Pg 139). The juvenile delinquency term has come to imply disgrace in todays correctional institution. Our government is up hold to procedures and expected to come with a solution to solving the delinquent problem. An underage offender can be labeled a delinquent for breaking any number of laws, ranging from robbery to runningRead MoreThe On The Juvenile Justice System Essay1236 Words   |  5 Pages I would request that Senator Perkins vote against the proposed amendments to the Juvenile Act. Part A Although public safety is both a legitimate and justifiable concern, the proposed changes to the purposes clause would go against the primary purpose of the juvenile justice system, rehabilitation and treatment as opposed to punishment. During the 19th century, the American legal system tended to treat juveniles who violated the criminal law much as it did adult offenders. Consequently, if courtsRead MoreCompare And Contrast Juvenile Delinquency Prevention979 Words   |  4 Pagesnor mature adults†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Nelson, 2012). Because juveniles are in a process of constant development sociologically, psychologically and physiologically, the juvenile court system focuses on alternative sentences and the creation of programs that will offer them rehabilitation instead of incarceration. However, in cases of extraordinary circumstances, the juvenile system shifts from looking at rehabilitation as a first choice to accountability and punishment (Read, n.d). All levels of society are coll ectively