Status Offenses Essay
I want you to know the truth behind status offenses. Status offenses are acts considered criminal only when committed by a juvenile (Muscari, 2010). These restrictions are incorporated to minors to promote school attendance, return home at a safe hour or avoid use and addiction of nicotine, alcohol, or illegal drugs. The consequences of being charged with a status offense range from deferred adjudication, probation, or boarding at a state school or other facility. I bring this to attention to discuss the problems with status offenses in regards to the system in place, the juveniles and a possible way to help solve underlying problems. Many causes of status offense include poverty, chronic illness, negative peers, neglectful or abusive family,
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As I have read about the main causes of status offenses, many of these teens live in abusive or neglectful families or have gang influence. They see no purpose in going to school due to feeling as though they will not receive the help they need to succeed from their family or community. My solution is to have these teens be administered into programs in school or in the community that promote success and a safe way to promote behavior acceptable to the world. The programs I suggest could simply be recreational in nature at first, such as an afterschool program, sports, or study group, then slowly grow to provide guidance of families and individuals. I personally had friends throughout middle school and high school that dealt with family issues that lead them to “act out” and seek attention where it lacked. Only a few changed due to becoming part of groups offered in school and by the community such as chess club, club tennis, and many others. Although this possible solution requires catching them before they go through the juvenile system it is not hard to be aware of the signs exhibited by possible offenders. In whole I am suggesting a redirection of finances by the community to offer alternative ways to deal with these burdened teens in a noncriminal manner. A program that offers counselors to support and provide a solution to these behaviors in a way that
As I have read about the main causes of status offenses, many of these teens live in abusive or neglectful families or have gang influence. They see no purpose in going to school due to feeling as though they will not receive the help they need to succeed from their family or community. My solution is to have these teens be administered into programs in school or in the community that promote success and a safe way to promote behavior acceptable to the world. The programs I suggest could simply be recreational in nature at first, such as an afterschool program, sports, or study group, then slowly grow to provide guidance of families and individuals. I personally had friends throughout middle school and high school that dealt with family issues that lead them to “act out” and seek attention where it lacked. Only a few changed due to becoming part of groups offered in school and by the community such as chess club, club tennis, and many others. Although this possible solution requires catching them before they go through the juvenile system it is not hard to be aware of the signs exhibited by possible offenders. In whole I am suggesting a redirection of finances by the community to offer alternative ways to deal with these burdened teens in a noncriminal manner. A program that offers counselors to support and provide a solution to these behaviors in a way that