NCJ Number
45338
Date Published
1977
Length
13 pages
Annotation
AN OVERVIEW OF THE HISTORY AND STATUS OF TRAINING SCHOOLS FOR JUVENILE DELINQUENTS IN JAPAN IS PRESENTED, WITH EMPHASIS ON TIES BETWEEN THE SCHOOLS AND THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH THEY ARE LOCATED.
Abstract
PRIOR TO WARLD WAR II, COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR JAPAN'S SEVEN NATIONAL JUVENILE TRAINING SCHOOLS AND MANY PRIVATE REHABILIATION HOSTELS WAS STRONG. AFTER THE WAR, THE NUMBER OF DELINQUENTS AND HOMELESS CHILDREN INCREASED DRAMATICALLY, AS DID THE NUMBER OF STATE TRAINING SCHOOLS. COMMUNITY TIES USUALLY WERE MAINTAINED WHEN PRIVATE HOSTELS CONVERTED INTO STATE SCHOOLS. HOWEVER, MANY NEW SCHOOLS ESTABLISHED IN STATE-OWNED FACILITIES SUCH AS ARMY BARRACKS HAD TROUBLE CREATING GOOD RELATIONS WITH THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE PROBLEM WAS COMPOUNDED BY A SHORTAGE OF TRAINED OFFICERS, A GENERAL DETERIORATION OF GUIDANCE AND TRAINING CAPACITIES, AND ASSIGNMENT OF INCREASING NUMBERS OF MORE SERIOUS OFFENDERS TO THE SCHOOLS RATHER THAN TO JUVENILE PRISONS. ESCAPES FROM THE SCHOOLS BECAME COMMON, AND ESCAPEES OFTEN DISTURDED THE PEACE OF NEARBY COMMUNITIES, THUS WORSENING SCHOOL-COMMUNITY RELATIONS. GRADUALLY THE SCHOOLS IMPROVED THEIR ACCOMMODATIONS AND TREATMENT METHODS, STRENGTHENED THEIR STAFF, AND BEGAN TO REESTABLISH COMMUNITY TIES. THE SCHOOLS INVITE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO SERVE AS VOLUNTEER TEACHERS AND COUNSELORS WITHIN THE INSTITUTIONS. MOST SCHOOLS ARE BACKED BY COMMUNITY-ORGANIZED SUPPORT GROUPS. IN SOME CASES, YOUTHS ARE PROVIDED WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK AND LEARN IN THE COMMUNITY. ALTHOUGH IMPROVEMENTS IN SCHOOL-COMMUNITY RELATIONS HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED, THERE REMAIN FEW FORMALIZED CONTACTS BETWEEN SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES, AND COMMUNITY ACCEPTANCE OF THE SCHOOLS IS TENUOUS. -- LM