Introduction:
There is no consensus between those who support the use of either rehabilitative programs or punitive measures in dealing with juvenile crime. However, according to the point of view of this research paper, the focus should be on rehabilitating young offenders instead of punishing them. Through analyzing underlying principles and empirical data, this research paper advocates for rehabilitation programs’ effectiveness and moral necessity as the core tenets of achieving juvenile justice. By examining the complexities of adolescent development, this piece not only sheds light on the vulnerabilities of young minds to external influences but also the limitations of the cognitive capacities of young people. By comprehending the complexities involved in the development of young people, one can effectively develop appropriate solutions to tackle youth crime. To that end, this research paper examines how research-based rehabilitation programs can address the underlying causes of youth crime and thus pave the way for long-term solutions to youth delinquency. Through the adoption of rehabilitation programs over punishment, the juvenile justice system will not only promote youth accountability but also provide support for young offenders, thus fostering safety in society and promoting social justice.
Points/Ideas:
This research paper shall be anchored on the following three concepts to examine, evaluate, and present the benefits of rehabilitation over punishment.
1): Growth and Development
Many factors support rehabilitation over punishment when it comes to juvenile justice matters. First, rehabilitation is much more effective than punishment because it is anchored on developmental psychology. Uh (2023) argues that many teenagers undergo exponential physical, mental, and emotional growth during adolescence, rendering them prone to influence associated with external factors. Moreover, Gunnar and Howland (2022) hold that the brains of many adolescents undergo significant development, especially the brain parts that control one’s impulses, decision-making, and risk assessment. Regarding that, it is clear that many adolescents can be caught up doing unlawful acts without knowing the consequences of their acts.
1.2): The Brain
The prefrontal cortex (part of the brain that regulates executive functions like decision-making and impulse control) perpetually develops until one reaches early adulthood. Due to the delay in maturation of the prefrontal cortex, many teenagers do not exercise sound judgment when making decisions (Anderson, 2023) nor evaluate the ramifications of their unlawful actions. To that end, it is clear that punishment cannot fully arrest juvenile delinquency because many teen offenders do not have the cognitive capacity to comprehend fully the consequences of their actions.
1.3): The Effects of Trauma and Environment
Additionally, environmental factors like low-income family backgrounds, dysfunctional families, and violent environments are roots for the adoption of rehabilitative over punitive measures in addressing juvenile justice. ABC (2000) argues that many studies depict numerous teenagers who have had traumatic childhood experiences that provoked them to indulge in criminal activities. Thus, instead of addressing the root causes of criminal behavior, punishing such young offenders cannot result in complete behavior change. It can have worsened the situation and thus catalyze the cycle of crime and recidivism. Conversely, rehabilitative measures provide a more effective and holistic strategy that is not only non-pharmacological but also handles the leading causes of delinquency, thus fully curbing juvenile crime.
2.1): Crime Reduction and Public Safety
Second, the use of rehabilitative over punitive measures is accredited to its efficacy in curbing crime rates and improving public safety. According to Lotti (2022), many research studies show that punishing or incarcerating young offenders cannot prevent future criminal acts. Instead, it can increase the margins of one reoffending. On the contrary, research-based rehabilitative measures can significantly reduce recidivism rates since they not only seek to solve the leading cause of criminal acts but also further positive behavioral change among offenders.
2): Scientific Rehabilitative Measures
Ward et al. (2022) affirm that rehabilitative strategies anchored on scientific principles and best practices provide young offenders with the support and resources crucial to reintegrating into society. Examples of rehabilitative strategies encompass cognitive-behavioral therapy, treatment of drug and substance abuse, education and vocational training, counseling, and empowerment. To that end, rehabilitative programs are much more effective than punishment since they nobly solve the significant causes of delinquency but teach young offenders skills and strategies for coping in society. In other words, it empowers teen offenders to make sound decisions and live a productive life.
2.3): The Benefits of Rehabilitative Measures
In addition, adopting rehabilitative over punitive measures can benefit society. Noviello (2022) believes that since rehabilitative programs reduce crime rates and shield teen offenders from getting too involved in the criminal justice system, they help create safer communities and reduce crime rates. Further, rehabilitative measures can help end inherited poverty and crime among young offenders because they seek to resolve the leading causes of delinquency, notably poverty, lack of education, and job opportunities.
3.1: The Principles of Restorative Justice
Third, rehabilitative programs are much more effective than punitive measures in solving the problem of youth crime because they observe ethics and human rights. After all, young offenders are growing up and can undergo rehabilitation and change for the better. Thus, punishing young offenders neglects the special development needs and varying circumstances in the lives of many youths (Arnez & Condry, 2021). It shows that punitive measures are both unfair and unbalanced.
In conjunction with the above, to solve teen delinquency, stakeholders need to develop a holistic approach grounded on restorative justice principles that promote the healing and reconciliation of young offenders. In contrast to the old-fashioned punitive measures that seek to punish offenders, restorative justice repairs the bruises caused by the offense. It satisfies the needs of both the offender and the victim (Williams, 2023). It promotes accountability, empathy, and reconciliation, which is pivotal in providing a more holistic and compassionate approach to youth crime. Rehabilitative programs see young offenders pay for their crimes and improve their personal and moral growth. Additionally, it promotes responsibility and accountability, which are pivotal in restoring relationships and furthering community well-being.
3.2: Human Rights Approach
Lastly, through the lenses of human rights, it is clear that adopting punishment measures that only inflict harm on the offender and fail to rehabilitate them violates international juvenile justice standards. According toVezi (2021), in juvenile justice, one must choose an approach that not only rehabilitates and reintegrates young offenders but also safeguards their rights and dignity. Thus, any judicial system that seeks more to punish rather than rehabilitate the young offenders furthers harm and injustice in society. To that end, it is necessary to adopt rehabilitative measures to align the juvenile justice system’s traditional method with human rights since they enable young offenders to grow and develop. The juvenile justice system can help further justice and compassion in society by ensuring that teen offenders are treated fairly, rehabilitated, and reintegrated into society.
Conclusion:
In a nutshell, whereas there is no consensus between the proponents of rehabilitation and punishment, it is clear that rehabilitative programs are much more potent than punitive measures in rehabilitating and reintegrating young offenders into society. A holistic rehabilitation program that cares for young offenders’ development needs reduces the crime rate and maintains ethics and compassion, providing a more efficient and fair approach to youth crime. This research paper shall be the clarion call for lawmakers and practitioners, urging them to embrace rehabilitative programs founded on scientific principles to empower and nurture young offenders to make sound decisions and to be productive in society. It can help create a safer and more equitable society.
References
Anderson, J. E. (2023). The teenage brain: Under construction. Issues L. & Med., 38, 107.
Arnez, J., & Condry, R. (2021). Criminological perspectives on school exclusion and youth offending. Emotional and behavioral difficulties, 26(1), 87-100.
Gunnar, M. R., & Howland, M. A. (2022). Calibration and recalibration of stress response systems across development: Implications for mental and physical health. In Advances in Child Development and Behavior (Vol. 63, pp. 35-69). JAI.
Lotti, G. (2022). Tough on young offenders: harmful or helpful?. Journal of Human Resources, 57(4), 1276–1310.
Noviello, M. (2022). Preventing and responding to juvenile crime: Importance of intervention and rehabilitation.
Uh, S. (2023). Early adversity and individual differences in adolescent mental health (Doctoral dissertation).
Vezi, Z. (2021). An evaluation of juvenile rehabilitation programs: perspectives from Westville Correctional Centre, KwaZulu-Natal (Doctoral dissertation).
Ward, T., Arrigo, B., Barnao, M., Beech, A., Brown, D. A., Cording, J., … & Taxman, F. (2022). Urgent issues and prospects in correctional rehabilitation practice and research. Legal and Criminological Psychology, 27(2), 103–128.
Williams, A. A. L. (2023). Attitudes of Restorative Justice Practices for Diverse Offenders. Xavier University.
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