Current Issues
The flaws within the American juvenile justice system extend beyond the detention facilities, themselves. Mentally-ill youth are impacted by the system prior to incarceration, during incarceration, and upon re-entry into society. We identified and explored several issues within each of these three stages of the system and their negative impacts on mentally-ill youth. Click on the buttons below to learn more.
Mental illness remains highly stigmatized in American society. Many symptoms of common mental disorders among youth offenders (e.g. aggression, irritability, impulsiveness) are interpreted as "delinquent" behavior. Due to the stigma of mental illness and the structure of the juvenile justice system, these youth are often criminalized and incarcerated, rather than being provided the proper rehabilitative support and treatment they deserve.
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Conditions within juvenile facilities promote poor mental health. These facilities put kids at risk of violence and sexual abuse. Staff are not properly trained to deal with the mentally ill and proper mental health services for those in need are scarce. Reforms within facilities are needed to ensure proper care is provided for those experiencing mental health issues.
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Juvenile offenders who are released back into society after a stint in a detention facility (juvenile or adult facilities) find it hard to successfully re-integrate. They suffer from the stigma of being labelled a criminal, and are then excluded from legal, legitimate employment opportunities. Juveniles who come out of the system are often fall behind in school and find it difficult to catch up. These issues, combined with a lack of rehabilitative services compound and often causes the juvenile to recidivate.
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