Juvenile crime is increasing in many areas, and it is associated with such issues as financial problems, the tension between different groups (for example, ethnic minorities), peer pressure, and so on. In the majority of cases, juvenile offenders have to participate in community-based correctional programs, but repeated offenders or those who committed severe crimes (approximately 10% of “court dispositions”) are sent to juvenile correctional facilities (Abrams & Anderson-Nathe, 2013, p. 2). Lots of researchers, officials, and offenders’ relatives claim that modern juvenile correctional facilities are ineffective and tend to hurt the development of communities as detained youths are exposed to violence and abuse. Therefore, it is important to develop an effective juvenile correctional facility which could meet the society’s needs. It should be a small community-based facility which is secured and which provides detained youths with several services (such as educational, healthcare, religious, and cooperation with people living in the community) which could help them become a part of the community after their release.
In the first place, it is necessary to focus on security within the facility. As has been mentioned above, it is acknowledged that detained youths are exposed to violence in juvenile correctional facilities (Abrams, 2014). Thus, it is crucial to make sure that offenders with a history of violent actions were unable to hurt other detained youths. Therefore, the facility should have several (at least three) blocks. Violent offenders should not have access to the block of other detained youths. Though, there should be the block where all detained youths can co-work and interact (under certain supervision). There should be cameras as well, as this will help prevent severe conflicts and unrest. The facility should not be big as it will make it more difficult to supervise the detained youths. Finally, there should be certain supervision implemented by officers as well as some detained people (Abrams, 2014). This will help detained youths feel support and be more responsible.
The size and location of the juvenile correctional facility should enable the detained youths to interact or keep in touch with the community. Hence, the facility should not be big and should be located quite close to the community so that relatives, friends, peers could visit the detained youths. This will encourage the detained to strive for effective rehabilitation and becoming a part of the community after the detention period (Inciardi, 2009). As has been mentioned above, the facility can contain three blocks. Apart from this, there should be a garden and a field nearby; there should be several areas used by all detained youths (workshops, library, classrooms, dining area, laundry, kitchen, visiting and recreation areas, healthcare area). Each block can contain several spacious rooms where ten (or fifteen) delinquents reside. This will help delinquents develop communications skills with each other as well as staff and visitors.
Admittedly, it is important to make sure that the services provided are effective, and healthcare area (which is crucial for healthcare services) should be small but should meet the requirements. Healthcare staff should be able to provide the first medical aid. Apart from this, the facility should include an area for psychological rehabilitation (Inciardi, 2009). There should be several rooms for individual sessions as well as group sessions. There should be an ambulance car in the facility so that delinquents who got serious injuries could be transported to the nearest healthcare unit.
Education is an essential service which needs special attention. Educational programs should not be confined to classrooms only. Though classrooms should be spacious and fully-equipped. However, recreation facilities should meet educational purposes. Thus, detained youths should have an opportunity to do some sport, get specific professional skills, create artworks (Abrams & Anderson-Nathe, 2013). First of all, it is necessary to note that art is sometimes seen as an unnecessary or less meaningful part of correctional programs.
Nevertheless, it is a fact that art therapy is effective and can help delinquents better fit into society and self-develop (Abrams & Anderson-Nathe, 2013). Furthermore, there should be sports facilities, and workshops equipped accordingly. Detained youths should acquire skills and knowledge which can enable them to become skillful carpenters, blacksmiths, and metalworkers, and so on. The facility should include certain land appropriate for gardening or farming. Detained youths should acquire skills in these spheres as well. Of course, construction and maintenance of these facilities will need significant investment, but this will pay off as detained youths will be able to become a part of the society when the detention period is over.
Apart from healthcare and educational services, researchers note that religious services can also be effective for detained youths. For instance, Roberts, Montgomery, Church II and Springer (2014, p. 29) claim that those who “reported regular attendance at religious services also reported less involvement in virtually all types of delinquent behaviors.” Therefore, there should be an area for religious services in the juvenile correctional facility as well. This area should be credible enough to sit all the delinquents as all of them can gather in that area for certain occasions.
It can be effective to launch programs which would presuppose the participation of detained youths and people living in closest communities. To meet this requirement, the facility should have a garage and several buses (at least, two or three), so that detained youths could go to some venues to participate in some programs. Likewise, the juvenile correctional facility should have an area appropriate for programs held with the participation of relatives, peers, and so on. Admittedly, security measures should be increased during such programs, but these incentives will make rehabilitation more effective and, hence, these programs should take place.
Admittedly, the facility should also have an area for the staff. This part should have dining and small recreation area. It should be close to other areas of the facility so that the staff could easily access any part within a short period of tie. This will ensure discipline and order.
In conclusion, it is possible to note that the juvenile correctional facility should be effective and provide efficient services to detained youths to help delinquents become a part of society. The facility should ensure the safety of detained youths and, at the same time, provide an opportunity to self-develop and acquire the necessary knowledge and skills. Hence, delinquents will not be exposed to violence but will focus on their rehabilitation and development. These young people will be able to integrate into society as soon as they are released. This will positively affect the development of society and will help to decrease the rate of juvenile crime in the area.
Reference List
Abrams, L.S. (2014). Re-entry and aftercare. In A.R. Roberts, K.L. Montgomery, W.T. Church II, & D.W. Springer (Eds.), Juvenile justice (pp. 3-37). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Abrams, L.S., & Anderson-Nathe, B. (2013). Compassionate confinement: A year in the life. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
Inciardi, J. (2009). Criminal justice. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
Roberts, A.R., Montgomery, K.L., Church II, W.T., & Springer, D.W. (2014). An overview of juvenile justice and juvenile delinquency: Cases, definitions, trends, and intervention strategies. In A.R. Roberts, K.L. Montgomery, W.T. Church II, & D.W. Springer (Eds.), Juvenile justice (pp. 3-37). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.