One burning issue in the matter of the juvenile justice system is the question of youngsters with mental health problems within the confines of correctional facilities. This issue has been at the forefront of most lobby groups that advocate for the fair and just treatment of the disadvantaged individuals. The youngsters with mental health issues have always been a formidable challenge to the juvenile justice system in many places worldwide.
It is hard for everyone when a juvenile commits a crime. This is more pronounced when he or she is certified with a mental disorder. As much as the authorities attempt to address the problem of accommodating them within the correctional facilities, there is still need to put in more effort. It will not do anyone any good to turn the correctional facilities into surrogate psychiatric hospitals. Addressing the tension filled intrinsic behavior that is exuded by juveniles against the justice system that is in place, ought to be among the front running priorities of the authorities.
The enforcers of the law must yield to the fact that there are some aspects of juvenile delinquents, especially their behavior, that may be based upon contending mandates, as well as priorities, which encompass the need to rehabilitate the young offenders as well as to maintain a hold on them for their responsibility for their actions. They may also need to recognize the need for them to protect the public. As much as it may be a challenging task, the staff members have to learn how to balance these priorities.
Involvement in illegal behavior and partaking, in criminal activities, may be defined as juvenile delinquency. It is the involvement of an individual in activities that may be considered as being against the law by a young person who is considered legally underage. Status offenses are those prohibited to certain people (Schmalleger 2011, p. 34).
They may include a wide array of activities such as drinking alcohol as well as smoking tobacco products. Other offenses may be categorized in this group such as running away from home, as well as truancy. They are illegal to people of certain ages while the same is not applicable to others makes them status offenses. Juvenile courts handle only cases for minors while adult courts handle cases for mature people. Most of the variables that correlate with juvenile crime rates are typically in the category of drugs. Bullying and mistreatment also aggravate the situation. Ignorance is also one critical variable. Peer pressure plays a significant role too. Statistics show that the rate of juvenile delinquency dropped from 2006 to 2010. It is projected that there will be a steady increase in the number of juvenile cases from 2011 up to 2025. Currently, that percentage is rising.
Reference
Schmalleger, F 2011, Criminal justice today: an introductory text for the 21st century, 11th edn, Pearson/Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.