Transformative Justice Project Manual

adult system actually had a higher recidivism rate than similar juveniles placed in juvenile detention
facilities.
"Juvenile Boot Camp" and "Scared Straight"
In the years that "get tough on crime" policies were being established, various new programs were also
attempted. One such program, Juvenile Boot Camp, received high publicity but had little success. "At
risk" youth were placed into intense, structured, severe environments that were modeled after military
boot camps. The Juvenile Boot Camps were intended to teach youth about structure and discipline but
their success rates, which were measured based on their ability to prevent kids from committing future
crimes, were low. For some youth, the programs were actually counter-productive. Another program,
"Scared Straight," brought parole/probation youth into interactions with adult prisoners through meetings
or short-term incarcerations. The program was designed to make young offenders frightened of the
violent adult prison system. The Surgeon General reported that the program did not work.
Current Standing of the Juvenile Justice System
Since the late 1990s, gun control laws have been
debated, school safety programs have been enacted,
juvenile offenders have been sent to adult prison, and
anti-drug use crusades have been pushed. The juvenile
justice system has been studied and adjusted in response
to statistical alarms and specific successes. The system
finds itself irresolute at present, faced with the
discouraging prevalence of crime, a lack of funding for
preventative programs, and disagreement over the
principles that define its very foundation. Ideologically,
and practically, America is grappling with a number of
questions about juvenile justice; among them, the following:
At what age is a juvenile to be held accountable for his or her actions?
Is it permissible to try and punish minor offenders as adults?
Can the death penalty be applied to juveniles?
To what extent is a parent or guardian responsible for the actions of a youth in his or her care?
Why do minority youth make up such a disproportionately large portion of prison inmates?
Is it appropriate that parents who can afford to independently fund rehabilitation for their children
may care for them at home, when otherwise they would be placed under the care of the state?
Are juvenile and adult penitentiaries unsafe places for youth to live?
Is the incarceration of juveniles counterproductive?
Do juveniles have an increased right to confidentiality?
Through research into which programs have been effective - both at home and abroad - policy makers
hope to develop strategies that will drop crime rates in future years. By taking the initiative to build anticrime
programs structured to fit local needs, community leaders have generated a plethora of information
on which programs work, where they work, and what it takes to carry them out. Current U.S. policy aims
to balance public safety with the effective rehabilitation of youth, and courts seek to individualize
recommendations to fit the situations of young offenders.
The Transformative Justice Project of Pennsylvania, New Jersey & Delaware
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