What Can Be Done?

       Juvenile programs often have very little effects on the amount of recidivism they are trying to reduce. If they redirected their focus, they could have more positive outcomes. Mosey suggests that

 

 

 

 

 

 

      

     

    

 

Juvenile offenders are not to be forgotten. They are not the bane of society, and they should not be viewed as less-than-human. Many of the studies studied in this research paper suggest that the importance of fixing juvenile recidivism is not being approached in a manner that it should. It is in the opinion of this author that the juvenile justice system focuses on a child-first policy. That would entail one-on-one time between a counselor and their assigned juvenile offender. By assigning one offender to one counselor, it would allow for stronger bonds to be made and would possibly eliminate the feeling of isolation that many offenders feel. This would mean that the government would be required to place more money in programs that specialize in one-on-one connections, but these programs seem to have the most promising futures.

 

      Another way to reduce recidivism would be to change the ways in which we speak about juvenile offenders. They are often referred to as criminals, but that stigma is attached to adults (Ritter, 2010, p. 239). Ritter also suggests that juveniles are being further stigmatized by the term “delinquent” as well, and that could be remedied by the creation of other terms of referral (p. 39). Words have a lot of power, and if juveniles continue to be related with words that stigmatize them, then their behavior will never change, and recidivism rates will never drop.

    

     Finally, there should be reformation in the ways in which studies are conducted about those with mental disorders, and family criminality. The way girls and boys are studied in relation to juvenile delinquency should also be furthered. Juvenile delinquency is something that is not as studied as it should be, and that is one of the sole reasons why recidivism is so high: there is a lack of understanding that could be remedied if better, more thorough, studies were conducted. What many people forget is that juveniles are children, and their lives are important. If ways to prevent them from committing crimes can be achieved, then all forces should be behind trying to figure those ways out.