- Describe the differences between juvenile community corrections and institutional corrections.
- Identify the different correctional sanctions available to the juvenile court.
- Describe the duties and responsibilities of probation officers.
- Describe what Intensive Supervision Probation (ISP) is and which juveniles are eligible for ISP.
- Identify and explain alternative sanctions available to the juvenile court.
- Describe what aftercare services are provided for juveniles released from secure incarceration.
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A whole host of facilities, programs, and processes exist to deal with at-risk juveniles, delinquent juveniles, and juveniles who are under some type of court-ordered sanction. There are multitudes of public and private correctional agencies and social service agencies that deal exclusively with juveniles. This chapter explained some of those programs.
The juvenile correctional system in the United States grew in a bifurcated, or two-pronged, manner. Originally developed as an alternative to adult prison, state reform and training schools formed one prong of juvenile corrections. Many of the original training and industrial schools that opened during the Progressive Era (late 1800s-early 1900s) in the United States are still operational today. The other prong of juvenile corrections is the vast array of community-based and private institutions and programs run by philanthropists and local communities.
Community corrections is a broad term used to capture a variety of correctional alternatives with one common characteristic: they are less restrictive than institutional corrections. They are literally operated in the community. The majority of juveniles under sanction in the United States are under some form of community corrections.
There are a variety of factors that can potentially influence whether a juvenile is committed to an out-of-home placement or sentenced to some form of community corrections. A partial list includes the circumstances of the offense committed, prior arrest history, the characteristics of the juvenile, the juvenile’s family and social situation, the availability of community resources and alternative placements, and the availability and workload of staff and correctional personnel.
The juvenile probation department is in charge of monitoring all youths on probation within a jurisdiction. Probation is a sanction where the court releases a youth to a parent or other guardian to live in the community under certain rules and conditions. John Augustus initiated probation in Boston, Massachusetts, in the mid-1800s.
Many juveniles receive deferred adjudication. This is a situation in which a youth agrees to follow certain probation conditions without going to court. There is generally no direct supervision by the probation department, and the probation is terminated within a short period of time as long as the juvenile does not commit any new offenses.
One specialized type of juvenile probation increases the level and amount of supervision of juveniles in the community. Intensive supervision probation (ISP) programs are characterized by high levels of contact and intervention by the probation officer or caseworker, small caseloads, and strict conditions of compliance.
Shock probation is a relatively unique correctional strategy that involves shocking juvenile delinquents with a brief commitment to an institutional facility and then releasing them on probation. The incarceration can be at a detention facility, group home, temporary placement, boot camp, or secure long-term institution.
An interesting form of probation blends the supervisory capacity of juvenile probation and the school system. School-based probation is a model where the probation officer works and is housed within the walls of the school.
The confining of juveniles to their homes is referred to as house arrest. It may involve electronic monitoring with an electronic tracking device.
Alternative sanctions are those that provide a means to hold juveniles accountable outside traditional mechanisms such as probation or incarceration. One such program is mediation. This program attempts to bring together juvenile delinquents and their victims, hoping to mediate the situation between the parties.
Another popular alternative sanction in juvenile justice is the use of restitution. Restitution is the payment of money or the rendering of restorative service or work to the individual victim of a crime, either a person or a business.
While restitution is used to compensate individual victims, community service sentences are used to compensate society. Community service means that as part of their disposition, a youth is required to work a set number of hours doing community improvement work.
