NCJ Number
64552
Journal
CRIME AND/ET JUSTICE Volume: 6 Issue: 4 Dated: (1978) Pages: 228-233
Date Published
1978
Length
6 pages
Annotation
THEORIES CONCERNING JUVENILE DELINQUENT REHABILITATION SHOULD BE SUPPLEMENTED BY MORE PRACTICE-ORIENTED CORRECTIONAL THEORY.
Abstract
TO DATE, THEORIES SUFFER FROM THREE DEFECTS: FIRST, THEIR OVERSIMPLICATION OCCURS WHEN A SINGLE IDEA OR TREATMENT CONCEPT IS PRESENTED AS A MIRACLE SOLUTION FOR THE COMPLEX PROBLEMS OF JUVENILE DELINQUENTS. SECOND, THEIR EXCESSIVE DEPENDENCE ON PSYCHOLOGICAL CONCEPTS RISKS IGNORING A JUVENILE'S CONCRETE SOCIAL SITUATION AND BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS IN FAVOR OF DEALING WITH HIS 'OEDIPUS COMPLEX' OR 'ANAL PHASE.' THIRD, THEIR TENDENCY TO EXTENUATION CAUSES THEM TO GLOSS OVER SUCH PROBLEMS WITHIN THE CORRECTIONAL PROCESS AS THE FREQUENT AND SEVERE DIFFICULTIES OF DELINQUENTS AND EDUCATORS IN ACCEPTING EACH OTHER. AS A RESULT OF INADEQUATE THEORY, A CONSIDERABLE GULF BETWEEN THEORY AND PRACTICE HAS DEVELOPED. WHILE THEORY PROCLAIMS THE JUVENILE'S AUTONOMY AND ADVOCATES NONDIRECTIVE METHODS, PRACTICAL REHABILITATION IS ESSENTIALLY AUTHORITARIAN AND TIED TO NUMEROUS RULES. A TRULY EFFECTIVE CORRECTIONAL THEORY WOULD CLEARLY DEFINE THE FOLLOWING ASPECTS: (1) A VARIETY OF OBJECTIVES (E.G., BUILDING A JUVENILE'S SELF-ESTEEM, SUPPLYING VOCATIONAL TRAINING), (2) THE GENERAL PRINCIPLES ON WHICH THE THEORY IS BASED (E.G., AS LITTLE OFFICIAL INTERFERENCE AS POSSIBLE OR PARTICIPATION OF THE JUVENILE IN THE CORRECTIONAL PROCESS), (3) EDUCATIONAL TECHNIQUES, (4) RULES AND NORMS TO BE ADOPTED BY CORRECTIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS, (5) INTERNAL ORGANIZATION OF CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS, AND (6) THE PRESUMED EFFECTS OF THE TREATMENT ON THE JUVENILE. ALTHOUGH EDUCATORS MIGHT OBJECT THAT THIS TYPE OF CONCRETE THEORY SEVERELY LIMITS THEIR PROFESSIONAL FREEDOM, THEY SHOULD KEEP IN MIND THAT THEIR CONDUCT IS ALREADY SEVERELY REGULATED BY ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS AND THE AD HOC RULES OF THEIR SUPERIORS. THE ARTICLE CONTAINS A SHORT BIBLIOGRAPHY. --IN FRENCH. (SAJ)