Okay, so now they have themselves in a little trouble, what's next? Most of society has taken a blanket "get tough on crime" attitude toward juvenile offenders. Instead, we should be examining how to prevent these kids from re-offending. There are a few programs that are clearly ineffective, but policymakers latch onto to in order to prove their stance that they are tough on crime and that they are addressing the issue. Studies have shown that programs such as Boot Camps, D.A.R.E., Scared Straight and incarcerating juveniles in adult prisons increase the risk of future delinquency.
We need to utilize more preventative programs. These programs are classified in two ways: Primary and Secondary Prevenative Programs. Primary Preventative Programs are intended to prevent delinquent behavior, such as smoking, drug/alcohol use and bullying. They outline the dangers and the consequences of such behavior, hoping the kids will not engage in it in the first place. Secondary Preventative Programs are aimed at the kids who have already found themselves in trouble, however, not necessarily serious enough for incarceration.
These programs are in place to try to steer these kids in the right direction, getting them back on track and detour them from further delinquent behaviors. We need to push for the implementation of these preventative programs in our communities, in our States. The best thing to do for our children is to help them BEFORE their behavior escalates to the point of incarceration. Investing in successful prevention programs can save taxpayer $7-$10 for every dollar invested in the form of spending on prisons. So, the bottom line is this, we need to invest in our kids now, so that we don't have a society full of adult criminals taking over our communities and costing millions of taxpayer dollars to incarcerate.
This is a forum that is meant to provoke thought and discussion. I welcome ALL feedback, and would love to hear your thoughts/opinions/suggestions. Please COMMENT/LIKE/SHARE. Let's get a conversation started? LMLee
See more at: http://plugology.com/businessnotes/8/254/alternatives-to-juvenile-incarceration/tab/219#sthash.9nAYy7B3.dpuf
We need to utilize more preventative programs. These programs are classified in two ways: Primary and Secondary Prevenative Programs. Primary Preventative Programs are intended to prevent delinquent behavior, such as smoking, drug/alcohol use and bullying. They outline the dangers and the consequences of such behavior, hoping the kids will not engage in it in the first place. Secondary Preventative Programs are aimed at the kids who have already found themselves in trouble, however, not necessarily serious enough for incarceration.
These programs are in place to try to steer these kids in the right direction, getting them back on track and detour them from further delinquent behaviors. We need to push for the implementation of these preventative programs in our communities, in our States. The best thing to do for our children is to help them BEFORE their behavior escalates to the point of incarceration. Investing in successful prevention programs can save taxpayer $7-$10 for every dollar invested in the form of spending on prisons. So, the bottom line is this, we need to invest in our kids now, so that we don't have a society full of adult criminals taking over our communities and costing millions of taxpayer dollars to incarcerate.
This is a forum that is meant to provoke thought and discussion. I welcome ALL feedback, and would love to hear your thoughts/opinions/suggestions. Please COMMENT/LIKE/SHARE. Let's get a conversation started? LMLee
See more at: http://plugology.com/businessnotes/8/254/alternatives-to-juvenile-incarceration/tab/219#sthash.9nAYy7B3.dpuf