proposal

.docx

School

University of Phoenix *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

240

Subject

Sociology

Date

Jun 19, 2024

Type

docx

Pages

Uploaded by ElderDugongMaster1149

Policy Change Proposal University of Phoenix Stephanie Lugo CPSS/240 John Eckert April 22, 2024

I believe we can all agree no matter how hard we work and no matter what we do, we can’t stop all crime. But what we can do is do everything in our power to deter it before it gets to a point where you can’t turn back. Generally speaking, working with our youth at a critical time in their lives to help guide them down the right path. There are many programs offered for at risk youth, but they aren’t the only children at risk. No matter how much of us as parents shelter our kids from the horrors of the world, at some point they’ll make the decisions for themselves when they’re not in our presence. Sometimes its negative influences around them and others its just an instant adrenaline rush for them or just a poor judgement call on their behalf because they weren’t thinking about the consequences behind their actions. As a human services worker, who come in contact with individuals who have already been introduced to the criminal justice system, having knowledge of risk factors can help our youth rehabilitate themselves so that they don’t need to know what the criminal justice system is like. Social control theory focuses on strategies that help regulate human behavior which leads to conformity, or the obedience of society’s rules. (Adler, 2021). By having positive influences from family, friends, school and so forth, it helps provide a sense of respect that if the youth were to disobey the law and welcome legal trouble into their lives it could strain the relationship between them and their loved ones. When we think of at-risk youth in the sense of social control theory, we think of children who don’t have great bonds with their family, friends or classmates. We think of the child who is feeling abandoned and looks for attention elsewhere such as gangs or groups of kids who worship negative behaviors with rewards for those behaviors. Not every child who has great relationships with their parents makes good decisions though. They could even find themselves around negative influences and either be in the wrong place at the wrong time or having a lapse in judgement and end up adjudicated delinquent because of that. While there is no right answer as to how to help save our children from the negative influences of the world, there are programs out there besides extracurricular activities to help lead them down the right path. As a human services professional, knowing and understanding how social control theory works and reading the signs when encountering these individuals, will help provide insight on how to help them and what services that are available can specifically help each individual. The big brother big sisters program matches mentors with at-risk youth to provide a positive mentor for the child and help guide them down the right path. Study’s show that kids matched with a big brother or big sister are more confident, much more likely to steer clear of drugs and alcohol, do better in school, get along better with their family and peers, and feel better

about themselves. (Tierney, J.P., Grossman, J.B., and Resch, N.L. (995). Family based programs to help families identify any issues within the home that could be negatively impacting their child’s behavior and ways to help strengthen bonds between parents and children. These are just a few of the options that can help our youth live productive lives. I’m not one to heavily rely on the system to fix the children, but better yet to help with finding solutions to help them make better decisions for their futures. Unfortunately, our youth have had issues accessing the programs that they need in order to rehabilitate themselves. There has been limited demand of beds for secure detention for youth offenders, limited availability of community-based services and limited access to mental and behavioral health treatment resources. These are all major concerns not only for the justice involved individual but as well for human services workers trying to do what they can to provide the proper services for each individual they assess. Not having enough resources to provide these services for these individuals can lead to dire consequences not only for them but also the communities they are a part of. If there is a violent youth offender who should be in placement, but there’s no beds available then we’re stuck with keeping that individual confined to their home with electronic monitoring, but there isn’t going to be enough of that to pass around to each kid who should be in placement, and if that’s not readily available our officers have to transfer them hours or even states away pulling them away from working their other cases that need attention as well. Having facilities in other states that are willing to take cases in from other states is a great cross-agency effort which helps us keep things balanced, but if we don’t have those resources readily available it causes a huge strain. Not to mention our caseworkers having to take a whole day just to travel to deal with that one individual if they’re states away. Zoom meetings aren’t going to help these kids. Some ideas that can help fix issues of overcrowding juvenile facilities are providing access to services instead of incarceration for lower-level offenders. Lack of pre-arrest diversion programs or school-based diversion programs and small technical violations of probation assist in pushing youth deeper into the justice system. Instead of residential facilities provide day programs or after school programs the youth are required to attend to help rehabilitate themselves. Opening up our mental health facilities that have been shut down to help provide the proper mental health services some of the individuals need. Not having proper access to mental health services can trigger behavioral health concerns. One advocation towards change is proposing an increase in the workforce for the juvenile justice system and its counterparts. Increased funding and or budget to provide proper services to

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

Recommended textbooks for you

Social Psychology (10th Edition)

Sociology

ISBN:9780134641287

Author:Elliot Aronson, Timothy D. Wilson, Robin M. Akert, Samuel R. Sommers

Publisher:Pearson College Div

Introduction to Sociology (Eleventh Edition)

Sociology

ISBN:9780393639407

Author:Deborah Carr, Anthony Giddens, Mitchell Duneier, Richard P. Appelbaum

Publisher:W. W. Norton & Company

The Basics of Social Research (MindTap Course Lis...

Sociology

ISBN:9781305503076

Author:Earl R. Babbie

Publisher:Cengage Learning

Criminalistics: An Introduction to Forensic Scien...

Sociology

ISBN:9780134477596

Author:Saferstein, Richard

Publisher:PEARSON

Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach (13th Edition)

Sociology

ISBN:9780134205571

Author:James M. Henslin

Publisher:PEARSON

Society: The Basics (14th Edition)

Sociology

ISBN:9780134206325

Author:John J. Macionis

Publisher:PEARSON

SEE MORE TEXTBOOKS

Recommended textbooks for you

Social Psychology (10th Edition)
Sociology
ISBN:9780134641287
Author:Elliot Aronson, Timothy D. Wilson, Robin M. Akert, Samuel R. Sommers
Publisher:Pearson College Div
Introduction to Sociology (Eleventh Edition)
Sociology
ISBN:9780393639407
Author:Deborah Carr, Anthony Giddens, Mitchell Duneier, Richard P. Appelbaum
Publisher:W. W. Norton & Company
The Basics of Social Research (MindTap Course Lis...
Sociology
ISBN:9781305503076
Author:Earl R. Babbie
Publisher:Cengage Learning
Criminalistics: An Introduction to Forensic Scien...
Sociology
ISBN:9780134477596
Author:Saferstein, Richard
Publisher:PEARSON
Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach (13th Edition)
Sociology
ISBN:9780134205571
Author:James M. Henslin
Publisher:PEARSON
Society: The Basics (14th Edition)
Sociology
ISBN:9780134206325
Author:John J. Macionis
Publisher:PEARSON