In
presenting the problem-focused services. This article explains the
organization/social structures for youth in the juvenile justice system while
connecting it to the case workers to the nature of their work. The article
mentions about inadequate funding, lack of autonomy for both youth and case
workers, as well as societal attitudes and beliefs effecting juveniles. The
inadequate funding is best explained by the following quote for our reading.
“The
magnitude of the caseloads and the expense of creating management systems to
support the range of tasks required of either child welfare or juvenile justice
programming means that most of the private organizations providing these
services are driven by economies of scale to be fairly large. As with schools,
the magnitude alone challenges the capacity of these systems to be responsive
to individual circumstances, interests and needs” (p. 216 )
For the above quote, it should be noted the accountability on
behalf of our political-economic system that allows community welfare programs
go underfunded. The author summarizes the lack of autonomy due to bureaucracy,
funding, and the adversity of the youth circumstance. Lastly, the authors mentions
how societal attitudes and beliefs put juveniles into rigid programs that focus
more on social control rather than treatment, empowerment, and care that youth’s
need. As the following quotes states, “However, public sentiment about young
delinquents (as well as adult criminals) has turned harsh, and rehabilitation
efforts that are not dramatically successful are often judged failures.” (p. 215)
What I feel should be taken from the article presentations
of problem-focused services is that these services are often driven by society’s
relationship with victim blaming. The justice system aim to correct not treat.
Lack of funding in schools, juvenile programs, and youth development programs
explains government (thus society) lack of support towards youths who behaviors
are symptoms of an environment that is ill fit for their development. It also
should be said that problem-focused services are not prevention oriented.
Juvenile justice is still part of the larger justice system.
The justice system has been criticized with profit making intentions. I feel
that there is a correlation from juvenile justices to the privation of prison. This
is well explained in the book, “The New Jim Crow”.
Here are some links:
Great summary > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_Jim_Crow
This online documentary of The New Jim Crow explains the
profit motives, policies, and racism that is in our prison system. > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McZOXzlnC2U
After reading TJ's article it had become apparent that this section of the proposed reading and the section that I read have a factor that ties them both together. The needs for the higher powers whether it’s in school or outside of the school system to correct the negatives and not work to treat the underlying causes. To give an example that made the most sense to me when I first was learning about this topic, say you have a pencil and paper and you are writing a letter. You make a spelling mistake but instead of teaching you the right way to spell the word the teacher give erases it and spells it right. If you’re not learning how to do something but are just being corrected how you will ever grow.
ReplyDeleteTJ and Zachary both make really great points! Both children in the welfare system and in the juvenile justice system are essentially being controlled by adults. These "adults" are telling them what to do and how to do it without giving them the proper supports that they they need because of the lack of funding or whatever they may be. Children in welfare and youth in the juvenile justice system are treated the same, but looked at in two different ways. The children in the welfare system are treated as "victims" and the juveniles in the justice system as "perpetrators"(Costello). Both had no control over their environment, but seen in two totally different ways. Since there are so little supports both systems lack the proper supports to help these children grow. This just doesn't seem right!
ReplyDeleteI never thought of the profit-making perspective. That's a really interesting way of looking at things and it seems completely valid. It's just sad that this is what our society values.
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