How Do You Improve The Juvenile Criminal Justice System?
A common discussion within the legal community and among the public at large is how the juvenile criminal justice system can be improved. Although there are some elements of the juvenile criminal justice system that function decently, there are also elements of the system that require improvement—as is the case with most elements of the overall justice system in the United States. Expand available post-release programs for juvenile offenders. Juveniles who are incarcerated or detained away from the community for even a fairly short time face challenges reintegrating. Indeed, juvenile offenders tend to have a tenuous connection with their families and communities before being sentenced to a term of detention. Incarceration only magnifies the disconnect. Develop more community-based programs for juvenile offenders in lieu of detention. One of the objectives of the juvenile court system is to place a juvenile in the least restrictive environment following an adjudication for an offense.
