A Ray of Hope in the Juvenile Justice System Robert M. Tudisco, Esq.
Attention @chadd.org
December 2002
p.22-25
Reprinted with permission For years, as a criminal defense attorney, I have consistently advocated for treatment for my clients in lieu of punishment or, at the very least, in addition to it. It has always been my belief that the only hope of reducing recidivism is to address the reasons or criminal conduct, as opposed to blind punishment. This message is harder to convey as crime increases and tolerance decreases. And, as significant as this message is, it is even more critical in the context of the juvenile justice system. Despite this importance, this message is often missed or ignored.
While the experts debate the pros and cons of rehabilitation for adults, the juvenile justice system poses a much more complex problem. First, by definition, the juvenile justice system involves children. Presumably the argument for rehabilitation is stronger with children and adolescents because there is a larger window of opportunity in their future. Conversely, a shorter period of antisocial behavior, relative to their adult counterparts in the criminal justice system, would logically lend itself to a more optimistic view toward rehabilitation. What further complicates the issue is that children under a certain age have a right to a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). This obligation remains, despite charges of delinquency and potential | |
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