NCJ Number
89336
Date Published
Unknown
Length
36 pages
Annotation
This paper identifies and discusses the similar goals and frustrations of the public school and juvenile justice systems and proposes an addition to the public programs for influencing the development of youth.
Abstract
The historical origins of youth care in the United States are traced, with particular attention to the cultural shifts that fueled both the school system and the juvenile justice system, notably the breakdown of the community and family influences on children, leaving the school system and the juvenile justice system to cope with the problems that emerged from this breakdown. Today's secondary schools are then described, and it is argued that the juvenile justice system could be most appropriately perceived as a backup for the school system and, as such, an extension of the school system. The overt and covert purposes of the two systems are distinguished. The nature of youth and their developmental needs are also examined, followed by the development of the thesis that the structures and guiding assumptions of both the public school system and the juvenile justice system fail to meet many of the most pressing needs of youth. The formal bureaucracies and professionalism of both systems, along with their tendency to isolate youth from all but the system's influences, are said to deprive youth of the intimate relationships with adults and the comprehensive personal development activities required for positive development. The activities and structure are proposed for a public program that will involve adolescents in growth-producing experiences in the community. Fifty references are provided.