The American juvenile system developed four ways through which delinquency can be dealt with, namely; the rehabilitation model, the justice model, the balanced and restorative model, and the crime-control model. Different states employ one of these models, but which of the four is works best? I believe that the balanced and restorative model works best of the four. I will expound on this through valid argument backed by proven statistical facts.
The balanced and restorative model is founded on 11 principles and values that make it particularly unique and effective from the four mentioned models. These principles and values are:
- Crime is harm.
- Crime harms communities, juvenile offenders and the victims and forms a responsibility to rectify things.
- All individuals have to be involved in the reaction to the crime. This includes the juvenile offender, the community and even the victim, however this is at their own discretion.
- Repair to the harm caused is pegged and founded on the victim’s perspective on the issue.
- The offender should be accountable, i.e. accepting responsibility and taking action to amend for the harm caused.
- The well-being of all members of the community, including the offender and the victim, are the community’s responsibility.
- All human beings have worth and dignity
- The primary objective of the juvenile justice is the repair or restoration of the harm caused and construction of relationships within the community.
- The amount of repair done forms the criteria for measuring the results of the process rather than the amount of harm caused.
- Active participation of the community in the process determines the achievement level of crime control.
- All backgrounds and cultures are respected by the justice process.
These 11 principles explain the reason as to why the model is gaining much popularity and support from a huge number of individuals, institutions and bodies in the United States.
Works Cited
Bartollas, C., & Schmalleger, F. (2011). Juvenile Delinquency (8th ed.). Prentice Hall.
