Incarceration Of Youth And Its Effects On Reducing Crime...

Incarceration of Youth The United States leads the world in the incarceration of young people, there are over 100,000 youth placed in jail each year. Locking up youth has shown very little positive impact on reducing crime. 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 of their environment. The minds of adolescents do not allow them to see how they are affecting their lives. A study was conducted, and according to the article, â€Å"Adolescents in Adult Court: Does the Punishment Fit the Criminal?†, when children mature, they will look back at th eir past and possibly leave their surroundings. Think about two people committing the same crime, both with the same thought process and ability to make decisions, except one is a juvenile and the other is grown. Due to the lack of experience in decision-making or the time to evaluate the situation like the adult, the youth should be viewed as irresponsible. The fact that a child’s mind is still maturing should reassure people that they will not be the same person incarcerated a few years later.Show MoreRelatedThe American Education System1437 Words   |  6 Pagesof our youth are becoming incarcerated at young ages. The educational system has taken a backseat when it comes to funding prisons; youths have chosen to live a life of crime, as education has become less substantial than money and resources allocated to prisons. Although television shows such as Lock Up or Lock Down expose the harsh realities of the wars that are ongoing in prison, the war on education has taken a substantial effect on young men and women, and has landed several youths to be housedRead MoreReform Struggles During The 1960 s S And It Changed The Appearance Of The Juvenile Justice System858 Words   |  4 PagesThis court system took on the responsibility for all concerns which involves family life and heavy concentration on delinquent and neglected youths. The PINS (person in need of supervision) and CHINS (children in need of supervision) were also created by legislation which contains issues like truancy. When utilizing these labels it sets jurisdiction over youth, juvenile courts extended their roles as social agencies. The 1960’s and 70’s the juvenile justice system was changed when it released cyclesRead MoreThe Problem With Mass Incarceration1445 Words   |  6 Pages The Problem with Mass Incarceration Over the past few decades, the United States has witnessed a huge surge in the number of individuals in jail and in prison. Evidence suggests the mass imprisonment policy from the last 40 years was a horrible catastrophe. Putting more people in prison not only ruined lives, it disrupted families, prevented ex-prisoners to find housing, to get an education, or even a good job. Regrettably, the United States has a higher percent of its population incarceratedRead MoreThe Incarceration Of The United States1044 Words   |  5 Pagesmany are juveniles. It is well documented that youths who enter this system are more likely to suffer a host of negative health and lifestyle outcomes, such as alcohol/drug abuse, high school dropout, and mental health problems. 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However, others believe that those committing certain heinous crimes should be tried as adults as a means to protectRead Moreimprovements of our youth criminal justice system Essay1187 Words   |  5 PagesWhen thinking about youth crime do you envision a country with a high rate of young offenders, gang activity and re-offending? Or do you envision a country with a significant increase of young offenders either being successfully reintegrated into society, or helped by a community when seeking forgiveness for a minor offence that they have committed? Since the passing of Bill C-7 or the Youth Criminal Justice Act on February 4, 2002 by the House of Commons, many significant improvements have beenRead MoreThe Approach of the Drug Policy Research Centre in Uganda1637 Words   |  7 Pages871 cases in 2010 reflecting a 79% increase (Uganda Police, 2011).The increase in use of khat and cannabis has been attributed to underemployment, family disruptions, high rates of crime and affordability (UYDEL, 2009). A new report indicates that the economic cost of loss of productivity from drug-related incarcerations is considerably higher than the cost associated with drug use. In light of this, the prime minister is weighing options of proposing new legislation which experiments with models ofRead MoreShould People Less Than Eighteen Years Old (Minors/Juveniles/Adolescents) Ever Be Tried and Sentenced as Adults?1516 Words   |  7 Pagestried and sentenced as adults? The legislation of trying and sentencing youth criminals under adult justice system has been a hot topic of debate. Supporters of tough laws on insist the need to enforce harsh penalties to uphold justice. The practice of treating youth criminals as adults since the 1990s is a result of the steep rise in youth crimes. However, youth advocates argue that tough laws should not be applied to youth offenders anymore. The core issue of the controversy is whether, becauseRead MoreJuvenile Justice And Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act1577 Words   |  7 Pagesaddress why this piece of legislation is important it will discuss the effects this act has had on the communities as well as the youths themselves. This paper, will also address the potential for change about the public attitudes towards the juvenile justice system and the social conditions it faces. Arguments will be presented to support the policy as well as arguments that were opposed to the passing of this it. The over all effect of the paper is to provide an overview of the issues surrounding theRead MoreDisproportionate Minority Contact739 Words   |  3 PagesContact Minority youth are disproportionately represented throughout juvenile justice systems in nearly every state in the nation. Disproportionate minority contact (DMC) in juvenile justice occurs when minority youth come into contact with the system at a higher rate than their white counterparts. African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians, Pacific Islanders and Native Americans comprise a combined one-third of the nations youth population. Yet they account for over two-thirds of the youth in secure juvenile