NCJ Number
131157
Journal
Future Choices Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Dated: (Summer 1991) Pages: 82-94
Date Published
1991
Length
13 pages
Annotation
Despite its role of monitoring, treating, and punishing youthful offenders, the juvenile justice system also provides one of the most promising human services areas for implementation of youth participation approaches.
Abstract
There are two major obstacles to participatory juvenile justice. The first is the typical one-dimensional attitude about the capacities of at-risk youth who are seen either in terms of their needs or their deficits. The second factor is the political maneuverings of justice bureaucracies which often seek to shield ineffective treatment and supervision programs from criticism or modification. However, economic and political currents may make judges and other justice decisionmakers more amenable to considering innovative programs; in some cases, experimentation is more possible in programs for the most difficult offenders. Programs which may serve as precursors to youth participation include those which engage youth in productive community work, have accountability or restitution components, and offer alternatives to the punishment/surveillance and treatment/services perspectives. The programmatic model for many of these interventions is the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) and other work crew approaches. Three responses were written to this article.