The Long Wait
Joe Etta Rounds
Academic and Professional Communications in Public Safety
Instructor: Prof Robert Clay
Section CJ526
“Mediation and Overcrowding”
October 9, 2012
Too many juveniles go through the system and 14.7% re-offend. Mediation cuts repeat offenses in half. The recidivism rate for those who don’t attend mediation is 33% to 36%. So, mediation is better and it is proven. Even though mediation is proven effective, there still should not be so much overcrowding of the juvenile justice facilities.
Mediation is proven effective. “Through the Models for Change initiative, MacArthur supports reform aims to help accelerate a national juvenile justice reform movement to improve the lives of young people in trouble with the law, while enhancing public safety and holding young offenders accountable for their actions.” The reason for these programs is to collect information through scientific research of the child and adolescent so they can know how best to implement policies and practices to know which programs will work best in the individual cases of the young offenders. The background of the juvenile justice system is that laws were passed in the 1990’s that included youth in the same system with adult offenders but from 1996 to 2002, extensive research was done to prevent youth and adults from being in the same system and so in 2003, Models for Change was introduced as a reform program that targeted the best practices from research on ways to improve the juvenile justice system. From these results, facilities adopt and model the best practices that are effective.
Not only is mediation proven effective but the recidivism rate for those who don’t attend mediation is higher. According to Morris ' research, “only 14.7 percent of juvenile offenders who went through the program re-offended. The typical recidivism rate among juveniles who don 't go through mediation
Academic and Professional Communications in Public Safety
Instructor: Prof Robert Clay
Section CJ526
“Mediation and Overcrowding”
October 9, 2012
Too many juveniles go through the system and 14.7% re-offend. Mediation cuts repeat offenses in half. The recidivism rate for those who don’t attend mediation is 33% to 36%. So, mediation is better and it is proven. Even though mediation is proven effective, there still should not be so much overcrowding of the juvenile justice facilities.
Mediation is proven effective. “Through the Models for Change initiative, MacArthur supports reform aims to help accelerate a national juvenile justice reform movement to improve the lives of young people in trouble with the law, while enhancing public safety and holding young offenders accountable for their actions.” The reason for these programs is to collect information through scientific research of the child and adolescent so they can know how best to implement policies and practices to know which programs will work best in the individual cases of the young offenders. The background of the juvenile justice system is that laws were passed in the 1990’s that included youth in the same system with adult offenders but from 1996 to 2002, extensive research was done to prevent youth and adults from being in the same system and so in 2003, Models for Change was introduced as a reform program that targeted the best practices from research on ways to improve the juvenile justice system. From these results, facilities adopt and model the best practices that are effective.
Not only is mediation proven effective but the recidivism rate for those who don’t attend mediation is higher. According to Morris ' research, “only 14.7 percent of juvenile offenders who went through the program re-offended. The typical recidivism rate among juveniles who don 't go through mediation
References: Cuda, Amanda. January 24, 2010. Study: Juvenile mediation cuts repeat offenses. Retrieved from: http://www.newstimes.com/local/article/Study-Juvenile-mediation-cuts-repeat-offenses-335216.php An initiative supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Knowledge Brief December 2011. Can Risk Assessment Improve Juvenile Justice System? Retrieved from: http://www.nysap.us/Knowledge_Brief_Can_Risk_Assessment_Improve_Juvenile_Justice_Practices.pdf The City of Pleasanton. October 9, 2012.Juvenile Diversion Program. Retrieved from: http://www.ci.pleasanton.ca.us/services/police/youth/JuvenileDiversionProgram.html .