For your replies, identify contributions by your fellow learners. Respond in such a way as to continue the conversation about the trends identified. Be sure to incorporate the significance and advice provided in the learners' posts. Continue the conversation as needed and use this opportunity to engage and learn from one another.

Alex's Post:

Week Seven Discussion Thread: Juvenile Court Process

The initial phase of the juvenile court process is the detention phase. It is within this phase of the juvenile court process "a decision must be made either to release the child into the custody of his or her parents or to detain the child in the temporary care of the state in physically restrictive facilities pending court disposition or transfer to another agency," (Siegel & Welsh, 2017). This decision essentially begins the juvenile court process as without the determination to detain a juvenile in the care of the state there is no further intervention. As noted by Siegel & Welsh (2017), "most children taken into custody by the police are released to their parents or guardians." However, when the determination is made to formally detain a juvenile and keep them in the state's custody it is important to note that "detention can be a traumatic experience because many facilities are prison-like, with locked doors and barred windows. Consequently, most experts in juvenile justice advocate that detention be limited to alleged offenders who require secure custody for the protection of themselves and others," (Siegel & Welsh, 2017). Recently, an "ongoing effort has been made to remove status offenders, neglected or abused children, and foster care youths from detention facilities that also house juvenile delinquents," as these categories of juveniles generally don't need to be housed with higher-level juvenile offenders, but they lack the normal means / family required for release (Siegel & Welsh, 2017). This is an important effort, as it reflects not just the court's authority over the juveniles in its custody, but also its responsibility to the children left in the court's care. Consider how this compares with the Christian worldview ofcaring for orphans, which some of these children are, and widows, "religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world," (James 1:27, ESV). As noted by Sigel & Welsh (2017), "the consensus today is that juvenile detention centers should be reserved for youths who present a clear threat to the community," as this protects the previously mentioned status offenders, neglected or abused children, and foster care youths. This has led to alternative forms of detention, such as "in-home monitoring, home detention, day-center electronic monitoring, high-intensity community supervision, and comprehensive case management programs," (Siegel & Welsh, 2017).

References:

English Standard Version Bible. (2001). ESV Online. https://esv.literalword.com/Links to an external site.

Siegel, L., & Welsh, B. (2017). Juvenile Delinquency: The Core 6^thEdition. Cengage Learning.

Emma's Post:

Siegel and Welsh delve into the juvenile justice system and highlight its three significant processes - the pretrial process, the juvenile trial, and the disposition process. Although all three procedures are crucial, the disposition process and sentencing stage are of utmost importance. At this step, the sentence handed down to the juvenile can significantly impact their future, either positively or negatively. Officials must impose a sentence that punishes the juvenile for their wrongdoing and helps rehabilitate them and prevent future offenses because an overly harsh sentence may stigmatize the juvenile and harm their future opportunities. On the other hand, a lenient sentence may not deter them from further delinquent behavior. Thus, it is crucial to balance punishing the juvenile and rehabilitating them to become responsible members of society. The disposition process is directly tied to the juvenile court system's purpose, which is to remediate the juvenile rather than merely punishing them to satisfy those who support "tough on crime" policies. Before taking the juvenile justice course, I had a conservative opinion about how to punish juveniles, and I believed in a "tough on crime" approach. However, Proverbs 22:6 teaches us, "Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it." Most juveniles who become delinquent come from unstable homes without proper structure or discipline. Thus, punishing them severely may not be the best solution. Instead, we should focus on rehabilitating them and helping them become responsible members of society.

Resources:

"Bible Gateway" Proverbs 22:6 NIV - Start children off on the way they - Bible Gateway

Siegel, L., & Welsh, B. (2017) Juvenile Delinquency: The Core 6th ed