Which is more effective for juvenile delinquents retribution

Which is more effective for juvenile delinquents— retribution or rehabilitation? Elizabeth Tart Danehower

Why I Chose My Topic • interest in possibly becoming an attorney after college • to learn more about the NC juvenile justice system • to understand the different resources available for troubled teens

Research • The juvenile justice system focuses on treatment of adolescents and prevention of future crime and less on punishing those who have committed crimes. • After the 1998 Juvenile Justice Reform Act, NC became the 2 nd state to mandate state funding for rehabilitative services with proven effectiveness.

Research • About 30% of young offenders become repeat offenders, but this rate increases once they are imprisoned. • There were 78 teen courts in operation in 1994. • In 2002, over 900 programs were in service in the United States. • Teen courts are one of the fast growing juvenile prevention programs.

Research • Keeping first-time offenders out of the juvenile justice system raises accountability for crimes committed and reduces recidivism. • The number of juveniles who commit another crime after getting treatment has decreased from 53% to 33%.

Research • Haven House serves about 1, 400 young people each year. Of those who complete the program, 90% do not commit another crime. • In 3 of 4 youth court studies, the six-month recidivism rate was lower than that of the comparison group.

Obstacles • Scheduling conflicts • Procrastination • Narrowing down resources due to abundance of information

Successes • Access to information on topic • Learning that there are other alternative punishments besides prison • Product idea came from research on juvenile rehabilitation

Link to Product • Teen Court is a form of juvenile rehabilitation • Has become popular in many states • Effective form of punishment for non-violent crimes

My Product Volunteering at Capital Area Teen Court

Self-Reflection • I have learned about myself that • I can work well under stress • I have a lot of patience when working with others • I can be objective in handling subjective issues • I would like to pursue a career in law

Self-Reflection • This project will help me in the future by • Allowing me to be more extroverted/sociable to people I do not know • Preparing me to write college-level research papers • Providing me with courtroom trial experience

Project Reflection • This project is beneficial • Gained experience in writing research papers • Extended beyond my comfort zone • Prepared for post-high school plans • Involvement in the community

Thank you for your time! Are there any questions?