Crime has been around for a long time. Historically, children criminals were treated in the same manner as adults, but that changed as the world transformed. It is a wide known fact that children in many cases commit a crime without full knowledge of what they are doing. Most kids are coerced into committing a crime while other commit crime as a way of rebellion. Additionally, children can be victims of crime and commit a crime without the knowledge they were even doing so. The young offender is commonly known as juveniles ( Bishop, 2000) . A juvenile is anyone under the age of eighteen regardless of the state they live. Juveniles usually undergo adjudication instead of the typical adult trial ( Bishop, 2000) . However, in some cases, juveniles can be tried as adults.
Notably, the young people today, in particular between the ages of 15 and 19, are likely to be processed for criminal activities than any other age group, yet they are the least groups that commit crime ( Bishop, 2000) .. Young offenders have complex needs as compared to adults. They may commit a crime but do not have the same mindset as adults. Thus they should be considered delicate, especially emotionally. Therefore, young people involved in criminal activities should be treated differently to adults under the same category.
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Young people found committing crime are taken to special youth jails for serious crimes, or sent to live in special places to protect the public ( Bolin & Applegate 2016). The youth criminals receive different sentences depending on the seriousness of the crime. The sentences are meant to deter future crimes ( Bolin & Applegate 2016) . Therefore, treating them in a different manner to adults who commit similar crimes is rational as children grow up and change their behavior and just a few continue to adulthood committing crimes.
Probation services are available for adult offenders and juveniles, but they are conducted in different manners even though some activities are similar. Both juvenile and adult probations are concerned with the supervision of release offenders as they integrate into the community. However, the methods vary a little bit ( Bolin & Applegate 2016) . Juvenile probation is for the young people under the age of 18 years who have been tried as juveniles. The probation of minors is meant to help the young offender avoid the things that make them join in criminal behavior. On the other hand, adult probation is reserved for the adult offenders who have committed crimes.
For an adult, the probation period is meant to hold the criminals accountable for their actions while at the same time instigating change in them. Change is initiated through correctional practices ( Clinard et.al. 2014). In many cases, adults under parole are required to get a respectable job. Adult probation offers the adult offender the skills necessary to avoid criminal actions in the future. The probation for adults is also meant to help them reenter the community by teaching them about how to be responsible for their personal life and activities. Notably, adult probation employs restorative justice approaches to reimburse victims and reduce their probability to commit additional offenses.
When a juvenile is released from custody, they are placed on probation. The juveniles are supervised in the community by a probation officer ( Clinard et.al. 2014). . The probation officer males constant contact with the juvenile at home, work or school. The probationer is assessed depending on their gender, age, previous criminal record or previous probation. After the assessment, the juveniles are placed under a probation officer in the matching supervision program. Therefore, an officer in the gang unit will supervise a gang member. The juveniles are then required to do community services, go to school, pay restitution and attend rehabilitation programs. The juveniles also have to live a law-abiding lifestyle.
References
Bishop, D. M. (2000). Juvenile offenders in the adult criminal justice system. Crime and justice , 27 , 81-167.
Bolin, R. M., & Applegate, B. K. (2016). Adultification in Juvenile Corrections: Examining the Orientations of Juvenile and Adult Probation and Parole Officers. American journal of criminal justice , 41 (2), 321-339.
Clinard, M. R., Quinney, R., & Wildeman, J. (2014). Criminal behavior systems: A typology . Routledge.
