Community-Based Alternatives
There are several community-based alternatives that have proven to reduces rates of recidivism and are cost effective:
(Justice Policy Institute, 2009)
- Functional Family Therapy (FFT) is a family-based program that acknowledges that family dysfunction is often the root of juvenile criminogenic behaviors. FFT is designed to engage family members and then reinforce meaningful behavior changes that improve family interaction. This therapy has shown to reduce recidivism by 38%.
- Aggression Replacement Training (ART) is an intervention program designed for youths who have anti-social and aggressive tendencies. ART has three components: Social skills training, anger control and moral reasoning. This program has shown to reduce recidivism by 24%.
- Multi-Systemic Therapy (MST) addresses the role that families play in youths' delinquent behavior, and works to achieve behavioral changes at home instead of a detention or correctional facility. Families are trained in building healthy relationships, and parents are trained in appropriate discipline methods. MST has shown to reduce recidivism by 25-70%.
- Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care (MTFC) is a program that places each youth in a foster home, where the youth receives individualized treatment. At the same time, parents or legal guardians also receive counseling and parenting training. After a period of six to nine months, families are reunited and receive counseling until the home situation has stabilized. This program has shown to lower recidivism by 22%.
(Justice Policy Institute, 2009)
Community-based alternatives to incarceration are ideal because they target the roots of juvenile criminality, while the current system of mass incarceration only targets the symptoms of juvenile criminality. The roots of juvenile criminality can be traced to mental illness, a lack of positive role models, lack of self-esteem, lack of affection and substance abuse (just to name a few). Community-based programs that are designed to rehabilitate rather than punish have proven their success by significantly reducing the rate of recidivism. Children in community-based programs are given access to education, they are provided with counseling, and most importantly, they have someone who cares about their future and who is invested in their success as a contributing member of society. Community-based programs have been successful in the past across the country, with significant reductions in the rate of recidivism in those communities (10% recidivism rate). Juvenile detention centers have become increasingly dangerous and damaging to children, with inmates being exposed to exploitation and abuse by the staff and other inmates. Community-based alternatives to incarceration are safer, cheaper, and more successful.