Observation of Adolescents in a County Court

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In observing Municipal Court at Jefferson County Court House there were many adolescences present. Thought there were older adults, the adolescences or delinquents seems to make up a number of the people there. The thought is, is there an effect the young adults there or reason why young adults are seen in municipal court. When observing the present of the adolescences was interested because of the fact that most were told to shape up or they would end up in jail. One was also told to get into counseling and have an intervention or would end up in jail. Amélie Petitclerc says, “As most repeat offenders first come into contact with the law as adolescents, the juvenile justice system may present an ultimate intervention opportunity to modify criminal behavior and reduce suffering” (Petitclerc 291). Knowing this before observing would have caused me to be bias and suspect that adolescents would be there and intervention would be offered instead of going straight to jail.

When observing court many of the adolescence were there without parents and it brought to mind the thought of where there parents were. Parents are a key in a child’s life they teach them the right, the wrong, and help them when they get into trouble. Cindy Lederman states in her study, “The parent–child relationship is crucial for promoting both healthy child development and trusting relationships over time” (38). With the parent neglecting, abused, or abandoning the child can lead them to wrong things like stealing to get away from everything. When that happens, “The juvenile court together with the child protection system and other agencies that work with maltreating families have the unique responsibility for protecting children from family members who have ...

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...ally wrong with them one the inside.

Work Cited

Forgays, Deborah Kirby. "Three Years of Teen Court Offender Outcomes." Adolescence 43.171 (2008): 473-484. Academic Search Premier. Web. 18 Apr. 2014.

Lederman, Cindy, and Joy D. Osofsky. "A Judicial–Mental Health Partnership to Heal Young Children In Juvenile Court." Infant Mental Health Journal 29.1 (2008): 36-47. Academic Search Premier. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.

Petitclerc, Amélie, et al. "Effects of Juvenile Court Exposure on Crime in Young Adulthood." Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry 54.3 (2013): 291-297. Academic Search Premier. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.

Stoddard-Dare, Patricia, Christopher A. Mallett, and Craig Boitel. "Association between Mental Health Disorders and Juveniles' Detention for A Personal Crime." Child & Adolescent Mental Health 16.4 (2011): 208-213. Academic Search Premier. Web. 11Apr. 2014.

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