NCJ Number
115525
Journal
Mediation Quarterly Issue: 22 Dated: (Winter 1988) Pages: 27-38
Date Published
1988
Length
12 pages
Annotation
The use of mediation techniques can help reduce chronic delinquent behavior, which appears to be much like addictive behavior in that it is harmful and seemingly compulsive.
Abstract
Peele's model for addiction is useful in developing an approach to dealing with chronic delinquency. It recommends three steps to end addiction: (1) finding the motive needed to end it, (2) gaining the strength needed to end it, and (3) seeing the benefits of ending it. These steps can be applied to juvenile offenders. No new treatment is proposed. Instead, youthful offenders should be assigned responsibility for their own past and future behavior, based on consensus negotiations with others from their community who can help in the search for positive outcomes. Through such talks, clients can also more readily find the motives, strengths, and rewards that Peele advises for rehabilitation. Thus, the mediator should convene a meeting between the client, the client's victims, and an investigative counselor. The goal of the meeting is to reach agreement on a plan that can be submitted to the parties' attorneys and to the court for adoption or modification. The goal is to reach full consensus on terms of the action plan. Bringing in the community members chosen by the offender provides a retribalization process that helps heal the offender by demonstrating profoundly the offender's membership in a community. 7 references.