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Juvenile Justice
Juvenile Delinquents and Treatment Models
Mark Roggeman
Colorado Christian University

Juvenile Delinquents and Treatment Models Among those who work in the juvenile justice system there is much discussion on how to effectively determine the appropriate consequences and or treatment for their actions. There are those who believe in punishment that includes incarceration and boot camp and there are those who believe in treatment programs with the goal of rehabilitation. There are various treatment models in place that are designed to address the problems in a youth’s life that may contribute to the causes that influenced them to commit crime. An assessment of the resources that are in place for juvenile offenders will be addressed, especially those that are designed to assist youth offenders in rehabilitation and restoration. Also a study of those models that are designed with the goals that gives the juvenile offenders the tools that will afford them the opportunity for a productive reintegration into society. There are many aspects of the treatment model (Bartollas & Miller, 2014) describe this model, “as the belief that the basic mission of juvenile justice is to rehabilitate youthful offenders.” They go on to say that the “focus of this model is the mental, physical, and social needs of the child with many rehabilitation efforts implemented before a juvenile is processed into the system.”(p.18) It is worth the effort and expense to have these programs to treat youth offenders while they are still teachable and the possibility of redirection is feasible. Youth come from many different backgrounds, some are worse than others, which adds to the diverse reasons that contribute to them becoming offenders. This is why the assessment piece is necessary to determine which programs are suitable to treat the juvenile offender. An assessment of the family structure is needed to see if there any guidance or



References: Bartollas, C., & Miller, S. J. (2014). Juvenile Justice In America (7th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc Bynum, J. E. (2010). Juvenile Delinquency, A Sociological Approach (8th ed., p. 351). Boston, MA: Pearson Education Inc.,publishing as Allyn & Bacon. Colson, C. (2001). Justice That Restores (p. 113). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House. Heilbrun, K., Sevin Goldstein, N. E., & Redding, R. E. (Eds.). (2005). Juvenile Delinquency, Prevention, Assessment, & Intervention. New York, NY: Oxford University Press Inc. Holy Bible: New King James Version. (1982). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

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