Delinquency Prevention
Though a juvenile may commit an action that if an adult committed is considered a crime, the individual is recognized as a delinquent. Such actions may include crimes against property, persons, public order, and drug related offenses. As a result, delinquency prevention is incorporated by the government or related authorizes to help young persons who are at high risk of becoming chronic offenders. In this regard, the youth in question may currently be involved in criminal activities but have not been prosecuted for their actions. Delinquent behavior is also associated with drug abuse and dependency, severe injuries, criminal behavior as an adult, imprisonment, and dropping out of school. Through the intervention of delinquent prevention, youths can divert their behaviors and attitudes to avoid the adverse consequences (May, Osmond, & Billick, 2014).
Fundamental Principles of Prevention
As the process of delinquency prevention plays a major role in the deterrence of criminal activity in the community, it is essential that a number of principles are incorporated to guide the performance. In any given program for preventing juvenile delinquency, it is evident that the society as a whole should be involved to achieve success. The primary aim of this principle is to harmonious development of children from an early childhood where the society shows its respect for and advocate for their different personalities (Goddard, & Myers, 2013). Also in congruence with the prevention practices, the society should pursue a child-centered orientation where the children are considered important contributors to the numerous events taking place. They ought not to be dejected to objects of control or socialization. The principles of prevention in agreement with the legal systems of the country should prioritize the well-being of the youth from a tender age. This measure closely monitors the development process and identifies factors that may cause delinquency.
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The guidelines of delinquency prevention also highlight the importance of developing progressive policies that are supported by systematic studies and elaborate the measures presented. In this regard, the principle emphasizes the importance of avoiding penalties or criminalizing delinquent acts that do not lead to the development of serious damage for the youth in question (Goddard, & Myers, 2013). Such policy measures should involve educational opportunities, special philosophies for preventing delinquency, its enforcement is pursued for the benefit of the youth through equality and fairness, and taking into consideration that not all behavior is delinquent because it does not conform to the society’s norms as it is merely a process of maturation. In the latter case, the negative youthful behavior may disappear within a short period of time. The progressive nature of prevention policies should also recognize the opinions of experts who indicate the detrimental effect of labels like ‘deviant’, ‘delinquent’ and ‘pre-criminal’ as they may cause the young adults to convey undesirable behavior consistent to these concepts. Finally, another principle is that in prevention of delinquency, services and programs based in the community should be established particularly in areas where there are no agencies yet. The agencies are only incorporated as a measure of last resort.
Types of Juvenile Delinquency Prevention
There are various types of efforts made to prevent juvenile delinquency many of which have show hope of achieving success. The parent-child training program is one of the ways of preventing delinquency where it can take from one and a half months to twelve weeks to achieve success. The primary aim of the program is to develop behavioral skills among parents and caregivers with children between the ages of 2 and 7 (Piquero et al., 2016a). In this case, the children have portrayed major behavioral issues hence the need for parents to develop skills of disciplining them effectively and reaction process whether positive or negative behavior is shown. The PRIDE acronym is also taught as a reminder of the expected activities of caregivers in efforts to reduce behavioral issues. These include praise, reflect, imitate, describe and enjoyment (Piquero et al., 2016a).
The functional family therapy and the bullying prevention programs serve as alternative delinquency prevention methods. In the former, the adolescent delinquents who are in probation are provided help together with their families. The program is a measure of ensuring effective change takes place in the home where the environment encourages better behavior (Piquero et al., 2016a). It is implemented by a therapist in three phases including breaking down of resistance to therapy, dealing with daily situations and encouraging members to demonstrate the interactive skills they have acquired into the various social institution. On the other hand, bullying prevention program is employed in the school setting usually in the junior high and elementary schools. The students take part in prevention anonymously by informing the teachers and administrators as to who is involved in bullying (May, Osmond, & Billick, 2014). A questionnaire may be used where students identify victims and perpetrators of bullying in the class or school setting. After a review is done, both parties are brought together for counseling.
Analysis of Effectiveness of the Prevention
Efforts of preventing delinquent behaviors have realized significant positive impacts on the child and caregivers alike. In this case, the parent-child interaction training enables caregivers to manage hyperactivity and attention deficit among their children. This method also involves children by helping them reduce aggressive and abusive behaviors while also making them less anxious (Piquero et al., 2016a). In light of this, it appears to be an effective measure of preventing delinquency in society. The bullying prevention program is an appropriate strategy that learning institutions employ to reduce hostility and maximize safety in the environment. This occurrence is depicted as a success for the program. The functional family therapy also achieves success by creating an environment in the home that prevents future occurrence of behavior. In addition, it is an economical means as the measure prevents low financial liability to the state and country. There are some methods such as scare tactics that are significantly ineffective as they center on belief that fear is a major motivator towards positive behavior which is not the case.
Delinquency Treatment
Following the numerous occurrences and spread of delinquent behaviors in the society, it has now been classified as an issue of social concern. The associated governing bodies have come together to develop plans for taking action to reduce its occurrence. When delinquency takes place in adolescents it is well known that special handling is required as they are in a transitional period hence criminal behavior may not be experienced in future (May, Osmond, & Billick, 2014). However, when it takes place in younger children below the age of 12 it is likely to materialize in adulthood through violent crimes. In this regard, treatment options are provided which include long duration or dosage and larger amounts of treatment integrity. It is contrary to rehabilitation techniques that are often poorly implemented. They also incorporate extensive research that significantly influences the treatment setting. In addition, treatment plans usually incorporate development of behavior, skills or multimodal approaches to reducing the occurrence of undesired actions (May, Osmond, & Billick, 2014).
Fundamental Principles of Juvenile Delinquency Treatment
In an effort to develop effective plans that feature the most appropriate course of action, numerous principles are provided to guide the development and implementation process. The primary measure is establishing legislative laws that clearly indicate the purpose for treatment action in delinquency. In this case, the laws should clearly identify how delinquents should be treated where the use of torture or inhumane methods is prohibited. Corporal punishment as a method of treatment ought not to be allowed in the treatment plans (Piquero et al., 2016b). These laws have been integral to preventing harm or further concern for the youth as it ensures they are treated similar to the normal child. Confinement and restraining of the individual is not allowed as they may cause more harm than good. The deprivation of personal freedom is only allowed when the adolescent has committed crimes associated with violence against others.
Types of Delinquency Treatment
There are different types of delinquency treatments that may be incorporated in society as a measure of curbing the continued increase in criminal activity. The biological intervention is one of the methods used that centers on the belief that undesirable or criminal behavior may come up due to deficits in the physiological processes of the body. Research has shown that abnormalities in the body particularly in the neurological function are a significant factor towards increased violation of rules and regulations (Piquero et al., 2016b). As a result, the treatment employed usually incorporates pharmacological agents that enable control of emotions by reducing anxiety levels.
The cognitive behavioral approach is another strategic technique used to treat young individuals with delinquent behavior. The treatment method asserts that deficiencies in cognitive thinking may increase the level of aggression and may likely cause violence among children and adolescents. The technique addresses deficiencies in skills as such as poor problem solving, communication and social abnormalities (Piquero et al., 2016b). In a bid to achieve effectiveness of the treatment method a dual approach is employed where the delinquent engages in training in social skills and pro-social behaviors. The pro-social behaviors teach the adolescents the appropriate means of interacting with others where moral values are taken into consideration and control of anger is depicted as a positive measure to employ (Piquero et al., 2016b). The process may also incorporate problem solving skills where adolescents are taught how to effectively assess a situation and deduce the most appropriate behavior to convey.
A multi-systematic approach to treating delinquency in youths may be employed. This treatment method is one of the most effective means of reducing criminal activity among young persons. It is an intervention that is implemented according to the specific needs of the individual. In this regard, it will address numerous aspects of concern that the offender is experiencing (Piquero et al., 2016b). For instance, family issues, peer problems in school, or the biological and cognitive concerns that may take place. The client centered approach ensures focus on all aspects that may influence behavior are addressed through therapy sessions.
Analysis on Effectiveness of Delinquency Treatment Programs
There is a growing volume of empirical research on the treatment and intervention programs that are appropriate for delinquent adolescents and youth. There are numerous programs depicted to increase the impact on the young person through reduced involvement in criminal activity. However, this does not mean that the prescribed treatment plans are perfect rather they could significantly improve on the outcomes for the individual. It is evident that a multidimensional approach of treating these youths appears to be the most effective method. In this case, it incorporates the rebellious individual and relevant members of the community like family members. The aspect of family is seen as the most effective measure of achieving a more effective treatment program. There are numerous distinct factors to consider in the implementation of effective programs including philosophy, guiding principles, theoretical standing and a comprehensive structure of treatment.
Aspects of Prevention and Treatment that are Similar or Different
There are significant differences observed in the prevention and treatment programs for curbing the social problem of delinquency. In the prevention programs, it is depicted that the problem is at a significant level of risk and could affect the children or adolescents closest to the pre-occurring factors (Caldwell, & Van Rybroek, 2013). On the other hand, treatment programs identify an existing problem among the delinquents that causes them to portray undesirable behavior. As a result, numerous measures are undertaken to prevent further development of the problem and reduces the chances of its occurrence again. The prevention program seeks to ensure that the adverse consequences associated with the problem are reduced to a minimum. The treatment efforts alternatively seek to manage the consequences that have already taken place but make efforts to ensure they do not occur again (Caldwell, & Van Rybroek, 2013). These differences are integral to the process and implementation of interventions where treatment programs incorporate high level of research on factors affecting behavior, the prevention measures incorporate minimal efforts that can help in reducing experience of criminal or delinquent behavior.
Despite the aforementioned differences there are a myriad of similarities presented in the two measures of curbing delinquent behavior. It is evident that the primary aim is to reduce occurrence of criminal behavior. In the prevention effort, children and adolescents at risk are taught to have positive attitudes on the expected behavior in the society. Parents and caregivers enforce these beliefs through punishment and rewarding of behavior. In the treatment approach, the programs address problematic areas that causing the individuals to portray undesirable behavior. The two measures also identify the importance of environment as a significant factor in influencing behavior. Preventive methods incorporate teachers, parents and caregivers in promoting acceptable behavior while rebuking the negative ones. The treatment programs, through the multidimensional approach identify the family setting as a critical starting point to deal with problems affecting the youth (Caldwell, & Van Rybroek, 2013).
Importance of Prevention and Treatment
Both prevention and treatment of delinquency of adolescents are important factors in approaching the problem of juvenile delinquency in the criminal justice system. Recent research has shown the increasing rate of juvenile crimes calling for urgent need for attention and significant attention. The incorporation of both measures is depicted to be more effective in achieving a solution to the problem. On one hand, prevention is depicted as a proactive measure. The high rate of criminal activities has prompted the need to identify the factors that causing and how criminal attitudes develop in an individual. As a result, preventive programs act as measures to reduce future occurrences. On the other hand, treatment methods incorporate both proactive and reactive measures to deal with criminal delinquency. It is depicted that the occurrence of criminal behavior in an adolescent may be a temporary rebellious behavior as the individual undergoes the period of poverty. It may disappear when the child reaches adulthood, but rather than take chances efforts are made to prevent future occurrences. In an alternative case, the events of delinquent practices among the youth are currently affecting the society. Through these treatment techniques the agencies and service providers may prevent future involvement in criminal behavior in adulthood.
References
Caldwell, M. F., & Van Rybroek, G. (2013). Effective treatment programs for violent adolescents: Programmatic challenges and promising features. Aggression and Violent Behavior , 18(5), 571-578.
Goddard, T., & Myers, R. R. (2013). Youth Injustice Innovation on the West Coast: Examining Community-Based Social Justice Organizations through a Left Realist Lens. Western Criminology Review , 14(1): 51-62.
May, J., Osmond, K., & Billick, S. (2014). Juvenile delinquency treatment and prevention: a literature review. Psychiatric quarterly , 85(3), 295-301.
Piquero, A. R., Jennings, W. G., Diamond, B., Farrington, D. P., Tremblay, R. E., Welsh, B. C., & Gonzalez, J. M. R. (2016a). A meta-analysis update on the effects of early family/parent training programs on antisocial behavior and delinquency. Journal of Experimental Criminology , 12(2), 229-248.
Piquero, A. R., Jennings, W. G., Farrington, D. P., Diamond, B., & Gonzalez, J. M. R. (2016b). A meta-analysis update on the effectiveness of early self-control improvement programs to improve self-control and reduce delinquency. Journal of Experimental Criminology , 12(2), 249-264.
