Rehabilitation__Not_Just_for_Chemical_Dependency

In today’s world of ever changing family dynamics, peer pressure, the stress and pressure to perform their very best, and to have the latest and greatest electronic gadget on the market, our youth can become very perplexed about life. Blended families, single parent homes, financial instability, poor family environment, and a community that is not conducive to promoting positive contributions to society, all factors that contribute to the delinquency of a young and yet developing mind and can weigh heavily on a child’s psyche causing him or her to do some unimaginable things. Unfortunately, sometimes those unimaginable things can land them right into court headed for the correctional system. The problem is that depending on the crime committed, the state in which the crime was committed, and the court in which they are tried could very well be in an adult court and not in juvenile court. In the 1800’s (during the progressive era), the “early reformers were interested in rehabilitating rather than punishing children” (Lawyershop.com). Having children tried as adults is wrong and it goes against the very fabric of our judicial system. We must maintain the principals and standards that were established 100 years ago by the “early reformers,” when the juvenile justice system was first being established. Setting up a judicial system that is separate from the adult judicial system affords the troubled youth an opportunity to correct their behavior, to learn how to deviate from their disparaging path and be reintegrated back into society as a productive citizen. “The U.S. juvenile justice system was founded over 100 years ago as a separate court system designed to look at the ways to reintegrate children in conflict with the law back into society” (Wiegand). If a child is tried as an adult, it would appear that the court has no intention of reintegrating or rehabilitating that child back into society. In Terrance Graham v. Florida, Graham was tried as an adult, (he was seventeen at the time of the crime and was nineteen when the case went to trial), and “sentenced to life in prison without parole for a non[-]homicide crime” (Supreme Court). The Supreme Court reversed the decision of the Lower Court; however, the following was the Supreme Court’s position: The Constitution prohibits the imposition of a life without parole sentence on a juvenile offender who did not commit homicide. A State need not guarantee the offender eventual release, but if it imposes a sentence of life it must provide him or her with some realistic opportunity to obtain release before the end of that term. (Supreme Court) Basically, the Courts did not desire to rehabilitate and reintegrate this youth back into society. They have simply closed the doors on this young person’s future. Because he is no longer a juvenile and is legally considered an adult, his time incarcerated will be in an adult prison with felons that have committed more heinous crimes than he has. Justice Thomas feels the Supreme Court’s decision is wrong. For instance in his dissent he states: “the law should permit judges and juries to consider adult sentences—including life without parole” (Supreme Court). He obviously does not believe that America’s troubled children and youth deserve another chance in life. Thankfully there are states across this country that are considering alternative corrective solutions for troubled youth helping them reintegrate back into society. A good example would be in the state of Missouri, their “approach to juvenile detention is designed to help troubled teens make lasting behavioral changes so that they can successfully transition back to their communities” (Annie Casey). Does this sound familiar' Statistics prove that going to juvenile hall lessens a child’s chances of success in life. More often than not once a child has been put into the correctional system and released he or she will return to a correctional facility be it juvenile or an adult prison. A study conducted by Canadian researchers proves this fact: The researchers tracked more than 1,000 French-Canadian kindergarten boys in 1984; all came from disadvantaged Montreal neighborhoods. The investigators evaluated the youths annually from ages 10 to 17, through interviews with parents, teachers, classmates and the young people themselves. They also searched court records to track the youths’ contact with the justice system through age 25. (Annie Casey) The result of this study “found that the more deeply involved the boy got with the juvenile justice system … the more likely he was to get arrested as an adult.” I know of several families that have experienced this very scenario. When their children were young (with their undeveloped minds), they committed crimes that landed them in juvenile hall. Now well into their young adult years, these young adults have managed to reserve a revolving door in and out of correctional facilities with very little hope of becoming upstanding, productive citizens of society. Had these youth’s been properly rehabilitated, I do believe that, their chances of having a more productive life contributing positively to society versus a life as a felon would have been much higher. Often times it is a child’s environment that inspires what they do; it inspires the things they dream of and ponder on. If the environment is one that is structured and conducive to living productively, peacefully, and lovingly then, that is what is going to influence and inspire the child. When a child or youth truly excels at a particular gift (i.e. sports, music, theater, or even academically) the child is considered a prodigy, not an adult. In some cases that child is thrust into certain aspects of the adult world with limitations, but not until that child has reached a certain age is that child considered an adult. For instance, because the child is a great entertainer he or she cannot entertain in an environment that serves alcohol because there are laws in place to protect the child. In spite of the talent and ability this child has in mimicking adult behavior, the child is still considered a juvenile and is only held to juvenile standards. However, if the environment is one that endorses hopelessness, defeat, anger, and runs the gamut of negativity, then that is what is going to influence and inspire that child. Thus, the child is merely mimicking the adults around them and has not truly developed a real understanding of the things of life. The child is not an adult, and therefore should not be treated as an adult. In getting back to the child that is a prodigy, if properly handled or guided, the child’s mind will balance out and will grow to be a “normal” functioning citizen of society. The same with the child that has become a delinquent, if properly handled or guided the child’s mind will balance out. If the courts were to adhere to the core values of the juvenile justice guidelines, that began 100 years ago, on a consistent basis, then our troubled youth will have a better opportunity to reach their highest potential. Two examples of this are Dr. Ben Carson, and Pastor Sam Huddleston both of whom were troubled youth, but due to being given another chance they have both come to be upstanding citizens of society. Ben Carson is a world renowned pediatric neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital. When Ben was a child of about thirteen years his anger got the best of him, he pulled a knife on his friend and proceeded to stab him in the stomach. However, the knife hit his friend’s belt buckle and the kid was not injured (Ben Carson). He could have gone to jail for attempted murder. However, being given another opportunity at life, he is now saving lives and giving other children another chance at life. Sam Huddleston is the pastor of a church in Benicia, California, and former Chaplin at San Quentin. At the age of seventeen Huddleston was arrested for robbery and murder. He was sentenced to five years to life. Through a miracle from God he served less than five years in prison. Sam is now a model citizen and has helped and directed many of delinquent citizens to rehabilitate their lives and become model citizens of society (Sam Huddleston). If America’s Courts continue to refuse to rehabilitate and reintegrate troubled youth, what will happen to the Ben Carson’s and Sam Huddleston’s of America' The old adage that says, “Children are our future,” is true. Not effectively rehabilitating our youth and re-introducing them back into society means our future could quite possibly miss out on some exceptionally productive adults. Yet, continuing to herd our troubled youths off as cattle into the correctional system without the proper rehabilitation will only result in an increased need for adult prisons and our loss in not experiencing the great contributions they could have had on society. When a child commits a crime, there must be consequences. However, those consequences need to include extensive and appropriate rehabilitation. Simply trying them as adults, putting them in prison, and throwing away the key is not the answer. Works Cited Annie E. Casey Foundation, “Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative.” Annie E. Casey Foundation, Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative. “The Missouri Model, Reinventing the Practice of Rehabilitating Youthful Offenders.” On-Line .pdf document Full report webfinal Carson, Benjamin, Gifted Hands. Michigan: Zondervan, 1990 Huddleston, Samuel, Five Years to Life. Michigan: Chosen Books, 1991 Lawyershop.com “Progressive Era Reforms” Wiegand, Rebecca, “Arguments Surrounding the Execution of Youthful Offenders, 2003 Report”