Analysis of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Reduction Programs

This report examines juvenile justice in the United States, focusing on programs designed to reduce and prevent juvenile delinquency. It highlights the emphasis on accountability and public safety within the legal reforms. The report explores two primary reduction programs: the Intensive Parole Program (IAP) and Diversion programs, explaining their theoretical underpinnings and operational strategies. The IAP model aims to reduce recidivism through intensive aftercare, while Diversion programs seek to divert juveniles from the formal justice system. Additionally, the report discusses effective prevention strategies, including early intervention programs, parental involvement, and positive school disciplinary approaches. The report references key studies and legislation to support the discussion, emphasizing the importance of guidance and rehabilitation over mere punishment to help juveniles lead normal lives within the community.

Running head: CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Criminal Justice
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1CRIMINAL JUSTICE
The Unites States legal reforms in juvenile justice have laid more emphasis on the
accountability, punitiveness for public safety. The United States have at least 51 different
juvenile justice systems. Washington strives to promote local and state policies to put a stop to
and reduce juvenile delinquency. The state aims at developing policies that intends to rehabilitate
the juvenile offenders with a view to reduce recidivism rates implementing the diversion
programs.
There two reduction programs that is currently in operation which aims at reducing juvenile
delinquency in Virginia includes the Intensive Parole Program (IAP) and the Diversion
programs. The IAP model purports to lessen the recidivism among the parolees by preparing
them before they are released into the community so that they deter from committing any further
crimes. The Department of Juvenile Justice operates the IAP model where the participants are
recognized through an intensive aftercare risk assessment. The notion behind the IAP model is
based on the theory that it is a researched data based model (Egley, Howell & Harris, 2014). It
signifies that a better transition of the juveniles involved in youth gang from incarceration to the
community shall be advantageous for the juveniles for them to start all over again in the
community without having any adverse effect upon the community.
The other reduction program is the implementation of the Diversion Program, which is an
attempt to divert the juveniles from the juvenile justice system. The notion is based on the theory
that if the dispensation of certain youths is done through the juvenile justice system, it might be
disadvantageous for them. The court may often stigmatize juveniles who have committed less
serious acts, which might not require legal intervention. In other words, the diversion program is
based on the ‘labeling principles’.

2CRIMINAL JUSTICE
These legal interventions introduced by the juvenile justice system provide an
opportunity of remedying the misbehavior of the delinquents, especially children and youth, in
informal settings within the community. The prevention programs that is believed to be effective
for the detention prevention programs is early intervention which would prevent youths to come
in contact with the delinquent acts. Schools have become a major source where minor school
disciplinary problems often lead students to commit juvenile as some of the disciplinary policies
of schools leads to suspension. Consequently, the students miss their schools and are likely to get
involved in the delinquent acts that place them in the juvenile justice system. This prevention
program is implemented in Nebraska, which enacted a legislation in 2010 that directs early
intervention stressing on school attendance, and other acts as alternatives to detention (Weisburd
& McEwen, 2015).
The other preventive measure includes parental involvement, which implies that families
care, and involvement is essential in shaping a child’s attitude and future. Most of the juveniles
reveal that they have experience family negligence because either their parents were busy with
their own career or they always gave priority to their siblings. As discussed above, school is
another important source which is responsible for shaping a child’s future, it is important that the
schools implement positive disciplinary strategies to resolve conflicts among the children instead
of merely decreasing unwanted behavior by punishing them (Morgan et al., 2014). Effective
Schoolwide Discipline (ESD) implements proactive strategies to encourage the student to exhibit
positive behavioral conduct.
It is important to implement crime reduction strategies to reduce crime rates in the
country and mere punishing the juveniles would not deter them from committing further crimes,
instead they should be provided with guidance to lead a normal life in the community.

3CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Reference list
Egley Jr, A., Howell, J. C., & Harris, M. (2014). Highlights of the 2012 National Youth Gang
Survey. Juvenile Justice Fact Sheet. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
Weisburd, D. L., & McEwen, T. (2015). Introduction: Crime mapping and crime prevention.
Pyrooz, D. C., & Sweeten, G. (2015). Gang membership between ages 5 and 17 years in the
United States. Journal of Adolescent Health, 56(4), 414-419.
Morgan, E., Salomon, N., Plotkin, M., & Cohen, R. (2014). The school discipline consensus
report: Strategies from the field to keep students engaged in school and out of the juvenile justice
system. New York: Council of State Governments Justice Center.

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