Juvenile Probation Treatment

Juvenile Probation Treatment

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Juvenile Probation Treatment

In every societal setting, some rules and regulations govern the general conduct of all individuals. The set rules include the punishments and treatments to be subjected to any individual who commits a particular crime. However, the level and type of therapy are designed according to the age and type of criminal offense achieved, with treatments varying from one state to another. The young individual below the certain set age (18 years) is subjected to different treatment as juvenile contrary to their adult counterparts. Therefore, immature justice systems are described as the government’s formal responsive arrangements designed to deal and process the young individuals below the age of an adult following prescribed laws while upholding the child’s rights and interests (Boman et al. 2019). The juvenile systems were designed to maintain public safety, develop skills, rehabilitate the youths, address the various treatment needs, and successfully integrate the child back into the community.

As defined in criminal justice, probation is the period of supervision that a criminal offender is subjected to by a court order instead of serving time in prison. Probation is thus considered a community treatment in juvenile justice. For every youth placed on probation, they must be assigned a probation officer with specific rules and conditions with which the child must comply (Viglione 2019). However, the various requirements set must specify the curfews, periodic drug screening, especially the drug addicts, specific period of community service, school attendance, making of restitution to victims, and participation of the sentenced youth in various treatment programs. Any individual who fails to adhere to any of the probation conditions is considered to have violated probation offense and is subject to a more restrictive disposition (Boman et al. 2019). Violation of probation is considered a misdemeanor that is a less severe offense than a felony but more severe than an infraction. Therefore, violators of probation can be subjected to fines and incarnation in a local court.

As the individuals are subjected to probation, probation officers are attached to them as service providers and behavior monitors. The probation develops a good rapport with the individuals connected to them through supportive relationships as counselors and advocates. The probation officers check on the youth’s compliance with the set conditions and responsible for filing probation violations against the child assigned. Electronic monitoring checks on the whereabouts of the probationers. The classification schemes developed in the probation departments guide the attention of the probation officers to their assigned probationers in terms of visits and intensive probation (Viglione 2019). Some probation officers take the role of law enforcement and therefore embrace the work values, emphasizing the strict compliance of the probation conditions. At the same time, the probationers are accountable for any violations. Some probation officers play the role of counselor by utilizing everything available within the community to create a behavioral change on the probationer. Some probation officers also use the hybrid approach that is authoritative as law enforcer and the counselor role as permissive (Boman et al. 2019).

In the criminal justice system, the use of probation treatment has often yielded various positive impacts, especially in the target of the youths. Through the various probation departments’ setting, the probationers are ensured of enough time engagement and guidance as the system sets up enough time for each probation officer with probationers. Viglione (2019) attests that the prosecution of the probation conditions’ violators ensures the efficacy of the treatment as the individuals who fail to adhere to the treatment conditions are charged with further restrictions and fines. The severity of the prosecution of the violators of probation scares the individuals under probation from violating the conditions thereby set. Counseling of the probationers by the probation officers leads to the institution of morals in the society and the sentenced youth. The use of an electronic surveillance program for the probationers ensures the program’s success as the individual whereabouts are easily monitored (Boman et al. 2019).

Ultimately, the prosecution of the individuals below eighteen years, often termed as children, helps the institution of morals and achieves justice in society. Various treatments are instituted to the charged individuals, such as probation, which involves the individuals’ supervision under certain conditions. The probationer has to follow the laid-down conditions to guarantee freedom after the judge’s certain period. Probation officers are often used to achieve the program’s success as they are attached to the probationers through the role of counselor and law enforcer; they ensure that the individual adheres to the conditions and prosecute the violators. Electronic monitoring is used to check on the whereabouts of the probationer. The classification systems developed in the system ensure that every probation officer has got enough time for each probationer. The use of electronic monitoring of the probationer as well as the setting of the system developer for the probation officers ensures the efficacy of the treatment program. Prosecution of the probationers’ violators scares away the probationers from violating the laid down conditions during the probation period as they are unwilling to be subjected to more restrictive treatments and fines.

References

Boman IV, J. H., Mowen, T. J., Wodahl, E. J., Lee Miller, B., & Miller, J. M. (2019). Responding to substance-use-related probation and parole violations: are enhanced treatment sanctions preferable to jail sanctions?. Criminal Justice Studies, 32(4), 356-370.

Viglione, J. (2019). The risk-need-responsivity model: How do probation officers implement the principles of effective intervention?. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 46(5), 655-673.