People who have been charged with crimes may face a lifetime of consequences stemming from their decisions. When people become involved in criminal behavior at a young age, the course of their life may be drastically changed. Parents, teachers and educators who prioritize the need to inform juveniles about the risks and consequences of delinquent behavior may be able to help prevent young people from becoming tempted to participate in bad behavior.
An interesting statistic shared by Child Trends says that of all of the juveniles who are housed in residential placement programs, the majority of them are there because of their involvement in criminal activity. This group of young people, nearing 95 percent in the year 2015, are facing various levels of legal consequences depending on the types of crimes they were involved in.
One resource that experts believe could make a difference in whether or not juveniles become involved in criminal activity is the level of intervention and support they have from an early age. Youth.gov suggests that a thorough intervention program that has been developed with the interests and needs of the youth it serves as a priority, will allow its participants to draw upon their strengths and assets to recognize their potential and build resilience against difficult circumstances.
The implementation of these types of programs can come in a variety of settings including mentoring, classroom-based instruction, recreational activities and community anti-bullying programs. Evaluations can be used to assess each student’s risk level, as well as to detect which topics would be most applicable based on the economics and individual family dynamics of the group being taught.
