Overview Similar to the adult criminal justice system, the juvenile justice system is facing many challenges. Some of these challenges related to evidence-based practices, implementation science, and the changing role of the probation officer mirror those of the adult system. In addition, youth present issues beyond those of adults.
MY ORIGINAL POST IS COMPLETE AND ATTACHED YOU CAN VIEW IT AND COMPARE TO THE REPLY POST BELOW. For the reply posts
, address the following to the following post below:
· Respond to a student who identified a need different than yours.
· Appraise the foundational specifics of why it is unique to juveniles.
· Critique the application of supporting case law or statutory requirements, incorporating any additional laws or statutes you believe apply.
· Evaluate the emerging trends to address the need.
Here are the replies you will be answering the questions to and addressing:Reply 1-
Limited access to effective mental health services. Approximately 70% of the youth involved in the juvenile justice system have a diagnosable mental health disorder (Youth with Undiagnosed, nd). Many juveniles have a history of trauma and lead to mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. Many of these juveniles’ resort to substance abuse. Despite knowing that many of the juveniles have a mental health disorder, “referral rates for mental health treatment within justice facilities remain low” (Youth Involved, nd). Many juvenile facilities have been found that there is a low percentage of juveniles that received any treatment for their mental health disorders. The lack of treatment, overcrowded facilities as well as restrictive housing has shown to worsen mental health in juveniles (Frost & Monteiro, 2016). Many young people do not know where to go for help and do not trust their guardians. More adults obtain mental health treatment than juveniles and adults have more access to treatment. In the United States, the American Rescue Act was passed to provide support to children and families and it allows communities and schools to implement EBP, interventions, after-school activities, and more services to reduce mental health issues (MST, 2021). · Inadequate or inappropriate school support. Many of the juveniles involved have a low academic level. Many of the youth involved in the justice system are eligible for special education services and are marginally illiterate and are failing in school. Prior to incarceration, truancy has been shown in studies to be less than half time. Expulsion and suspension from school increases the likelihood of the juvenile to become involved in the justice system. Schools continue to suspend students for behaviors that are due to their disabilities and these juveniles often become delinquent, have self-esteem issues, stop trying, and are viewed as a failure by the people who are supposed to be teaching them at school (Juvenile Justice, 2014). This is a juvenile issue as it relates to school. · Misdiagnosis of disabilities or attribution of problematic behavior to willfulness Misdiagnosis, being undiagnosed, and untreated youth can lead to problem behaviors such as running away, truancy, issues with learning, and behavioral issues. This is a youth issue as the offenses are specific to juveniles. Accurate assessment of the juvenile is imperative to ensure proper diagnosis.
Reply 2-
Issue #1 – Inadequate or inappropriate school supports. This issue is juvenile specific because we are discussing elementary – high school. Some ways to address inadequate school support is by Identification of and attention to disability needs, programs that promote self-awareness, academic, vocational and social skill building and competencies, and strategies to reduce impulsive and inappropriate behavior. and family-based interventions. (Juvenile justice – issues overview. PACER Center – Champions for Children with Disabilities. (n.d.). Issue #2 – Youth in the Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Systems simultaneously. This issue is juvenile specific due to mentions of child welfare. Solution could be multi-system integration. A study by the Arizona Supreme Court found that Dependent children over the age of eight are very likely to be involved with the court on delinquency matters. The odds increases substantially for children 14 and older. This study also found that youth with histories of court involvement or dependency matters are 2x as likely to re offend, compared to children with no history (62% compared to 30%. ) * This study was commissioned by the Arizona Supreme Court. (Problems and solutions in Juvenile Justice – Juvjustice.org. (n.d.). Issue #3 – Status Offenses. These are juvenile specific because status offenses are youth-specific. These commonly include truancy, running away, curfew violation, underage liquor law violations. The solution for this issue is that because status offenses are typically an indicator of personal, family, community, and systemic issues; family court and law enforcement are often not able to address or deter these behaviors. So this prompts the current action that several states and cities are implementing family-focused alternatives to court intervention. This has been proven to reduce family court caseloads, lower government costs, and create meaningful and lasting support to children and families. (Problems and solutions in Juvenile Justice – Juvjustice.org. (n.d.).
Be sure to address all the bullet points and answer all that is needed for the replies. Be sure responses are substantial and critique and ask questions and provide any concerns to the replies, possibly any challenges. Thank you