Juvenile Justice reform Essay

I would like to make some recommendations on Juvenile Justice reform as young people are important part of our population. First of all I would like to comment on juvenile crime. Without any doubt,crime is one of the biggest problems society is facing today,and partly,the society is to blame for it. There should be some deterrents to make people fear the law. However,the prison is not always the best solution. Another way of punishing them is to get them to do some kind of community service. Nevertheless,if people are sent to prison they may be pushed towards a life of crime. Therefore,they may become even hardened criminals. On the other hand,community service may help integrate them into society. Another advantage of community service is that it is a cheaper alternative to prison as the offender continues to live at home. Besides,the offender is giving something back to the society instead taking from it. However,community service should,in my view,only be used as an alternative to prison when the crime comotted is minor,such a petty theft. Furthermore,I would suggest that young offenders should see the consequences of their actions and that they should be made to repay those they have robbed. I feel that it would be particularly beneficial for the victims of a crime. It seems that,while community service may work for some offenders,it fails for others. In my opinion it is better for offenders who have commited a minor crime,who are not dangerous for the society. Certainly,hardened criminals should be sent to prison. Protection of the public may be effective as long as the prisoner is inside. It may prove ineffective in the long run once the prisoner is realised,unless the rehabilitation has taken place(education and job training should be given in prison). As I mentioned above,the society is partly responsible for the youth criminal. Young offenders are not intrinsically bad,they are only reacting to the conditions in which they are finding themselves. The governement should improve the welfare of young people and give them the opportunity to contribute to society. If a young person thinks he is a failure,he may be prone to violence,vandalism and crime. They should be given funds for education so that even those from the most disabled families have the oppurtunity to succeed in their life. The government should also help the talented youngsters,artists,musicians and subsidise their work. Without the financial help,they would not succeed and it would be a great loss for the whole society. The society should look after abandoned children and provide them with reasonable accomodation. Young people are different from adults. Their conflict during adolescence is caused by the fact that biological development is faster than social development. They want to be independent,but they cannot manage their life on their own. They have to learn that life is a hard struggle which includes big challenges they have to deal with. In society,teenagers are pressured to mature more quickly and have to make decisions regarding their education. The pressure to pass exams,to find a job,to master technology has become even greater. It is more difficult to find your place in society. It becomes more difficult to find and cultivate your own values. The environment is not the only cause of bad behaviour. People say that there has been a breakdown in discipline in the home. Children can no longer rely on their parents to be there to talk over their problems with them. Today? s mothers and fathers are busy following their career path,and many no longer have the energy to spend quality time with their children. Many youngsters are spoiled by their parents who try to calm their bad conscience by giving them money,but money is not always a good way to solve problems. This may cause difficulties for youngsters and it may be possible that they will not be able to overcome challenges and problems which are common during their lifetime. Boredom may also be a cause of delinquency ,so it is extremely important to provide leisure facilities for young people,such as clubs and sports centres. In some communities there is very little to do in the evening ,and I propose that money should be set aside to provide it. This may involve some expenditure,but there should be a considerable reduction in crime. Furthermore,some television programmes and films contain bad language and violence and,in my opinion,there should be some censorship because some impressionable youngsters may copy it. As I mentioned above,the problem is greater when there is nothing to do,because a young person is more likely to spend the whole day staring at a screen which may be extremely harmful for their health. It affects the eyesight and may cause back and neck problems. It cannot be good for young people to risk their life in that way. They should be made fully aware of the health benefits of exercising and the dangers of obesity. Some exercise facilities should also be provided. I believe that my recommendations will be taken into consideration and that it will benefit the youngsters and help them grow into healthy and eminent citizens.