Juvenile Justice System: A Case Study

The topic that I would like to research is adolescents who are involved in the juvenile justice system, specifically those who are incarcerated. The reason why this topic interests me is that I have worked with youth in a wilderness therapy restorative justice setting in the past and I currently work as a probation officer. I want to explore the commonalities that lead youth into incarceration, how they can be supported through programs and services, and what is working as far as recidivism rates go. Eventually I would like to use my degrees to do policy work for the juvenile justice system. Individuals, specifically adolescents who are involved in the justice system may very well be the “most vulnerable and oppressed individuals in the United States today.” (Peters, 2011, p. 355). The juvenile justice system was established in Chicago, Illinois in 1899 “on the premise that youths’ characters are not yet fully formed, and that rehabilitation is therefore more appropriate than retribution.” (Cauffman & Steinberg, 2012, p. 430). Unlike adults in the justice

In fact, youth who have involvement in child welfare cases have a “47% greater risk for becoming involved in the juvenile justice system.” (Marshall & Haight, 2014, p. 82). Common demographics for this population are “economic disadvantage, experiences of abuse and neglect, unstable family environments, exposure to drugs and alcohol, and mental illness.” (White, 2017, p. 2). Juveniles who are involved in the justice system often come from unconventional families such as teen parents, single parent homes or being raised by family members other than the biological parents. Adolescent females are less likely to be incarcerated than males and African American youth are more likely to be detained and committed to correctional facilities than other racial groups. (Leone & Weinberg,