The course will examine in depth the nature of the juvenile justice system. The major topics include the role of the family, the school, and peers in promoting delinquency. The course will examine and evaluate juvenile justice policies and programs. The course will analyze and evaluate the nature and degree of delinquency, theories of delinquency, research and reasons of delinquency, and the control and prevention of delinquency through programs and institutions.
Any minister, lay leader, or mission minded believer engaging persons who have a criminal conviction will inevitably ask themselves questions related to the correctional system, specifically the juvenile justice system. Those within the criminal justice profession seeking to live out a missional calling through their work would benefit from a structured and guided engagement about juvenile justice. The topic regarding how to address and reduce juvenile delinquency while providing consequences for delinquent behavior is a topic that affects all in society. Due to the current state, members of the community would benefit a better understanding of and knowledge of juvenile justice.
The juvenile justice system has far-reaching application. The outlook on crime prevention and control, the emphasis on making community members active participants in the process of problem solving, and juvenile justice administrators' s role in corrections require changes within juvenile justice-corrections' organizations. By offering services and programs during adolescence and providing alternatives to incarceration, the juvenile delinquency rate could be greatly impacted. Those that commit crimes as juveniles are more likely to commit crimes as adults. The average onset for gang membership is fifteen years of age, drug use- sixteen years of age and drug dealing- seventeen years of age. This application of serving our youth has long been explored in the Christian faith. It would benefit the larger mission of God for mission-minded individuals with training in criminal justice as well as community members to become active with the juvenile justice-correctional system.
Juvenile Justice involves all members of society. This course could help develop biblically-educated criminal justice providers and community members.
If criminal justice practitioners desire to live out their missional calling in the criminal justice field, they will desire to guide and shape their institutions to develop strategies and programs to assist juveniles and juvenile delinquents. Sixteen percent of all violent crime arrests and thirty-two percent of all property crime arrests are juveniles. Juveniles account for fifty-four percent of arson arrests, forty-two percent of vandalism arrests, thirty-one percent of theft arrests and thirty-three percent of burglary arrests. Correctional leaders, citizens, and mission-minded believers can make an impact on the lives of juveniles currently in an institution or program and the lives of juveniles susceptible to committing crime. Spiritual, social and support services tend to play a significant role in the lives of juveniles which effects the community in which they will return.
The juvenile justice corrections' field is a unique ministry context, and a course on corrections, specifically juvenile justice, to include faith-based initiatives would help practitioners and community members as a whole apply broader biblical principles to the communities they work and live in.
A large part of juvenile justice-corrections tends to the issues of culture and equity. Criminal justice values can change among differing cultures. Corrections is applicable in this area.
Juvenile Justice-Corrections administration provides a practical application to the community and juvenile justice field. With the juvenile staff and volunteers working together, they can help assist potential and current juvenile delinquents. In doing so, juveniles have a greater chance at being productive, law-abiding citizens.
Juvenile Justice-Corrections is best learned through theories and application. Learners would bring their cases to the table for discussion and learning and return to their practice with the benefit of that learning.
