NCJ Number
175751
Journal
Children's Legal Rights Journal Volume: 8 Issue: 3 Dated: Summer 1998 Pages: 48-72
Date Published
1998
Length
25 pages
Annotation
By using special education advocacy on behalf of juveniles with educational disabilities in the manner summarized in this article, an attorney can extricate or insulate children and young adults from confinement in juvenile facilities or in adult correctional facilities.
Abstract
In describing developmentally driven services in juvenile corrections, the author discusses adolescents' cognitive, moral, and identity development, as well as trauma recovery. In applying these developmental needs to correctional mental health services, the article describes the process of working with residents of juvenile facilities to clarify their needs and design services to meet these needs. Case examples are used to provide details about how corrections staff can help delinquents become less aggressive and depressed, meet the special needs of female residents and youth under 14 years old, assist youth in making peace with the past, and prevent suicide. The article emphasizes that the relinquishment of traditional mental health services for a unified developmental approach among unit staff, teachers, clinicians, recreation personnel, and other staff is the key to making juvenile corrections more effective. Protection of juvenile inmates from sexual behavior and substance abuse is briefly discussed, followed by an outline of the services youth will need for continuing care in the community after release from a correctional facility. 33 notes