Advocacy for Juvenile Offenders
Advocacy for Juvenile Offenders TaNiece Parker BS/HS 422
When you hear the word offender some have a reaction of fear and prejudice, thinking the worst of what this person has done. What about juvenile offenders that are not yet old enough to be held fully responsible for their actions, are they any less of a threat? Each state has their own predetermined statues for these young offenders but that does not change how they are seen by others. This is a population that I believe needs a voice to help them be seen in a light other than that of a criminal. In the realm of Human services an advocate is someone that has an influential voice in the welfare or interest of a person or group. Derived from the Latin word avocare , meaning” to summon one’s help” the advocates of today have much on their plates. With the population of the homeless, abused or ill growing with each day advocacy is in high demand. I chose juvenile offenders as a population that may need advocacy because they have a voice that is seldom heard. As an advocate for this group my focus would be to focus on policy and giving these adolescents another chance in society. With juvenile offenders some of the same issues that led them into trouble are the same issues they face when released. My focus would be to help them refocus their attention and energy into more positive outlets with service provided by the state and government. I would want to help change how these young offenders are received by federally funded programs. GED and job training, computer and trade training are all options that they should have even if they have a criminal background. It is obvious that they have made some bad decisions buy it is not fair to let those decisions shape their future. They need to be prepared for adulthood and shown a way to get past the negative
When you hear the word offender some have a reaction of fear and prejudice, thinking the worst of what this person has done. What about juvenile offenders that are not yet old enough to be held fully responsible for their actions, are they any less of a threat? Each state has their own predetermined statues for these young offenders but that does not change how they are seen by others. This is a population that I believe needs a voice to help them be seen in a light other than that of a criminal. In the realm of Human services an advocate is someone that has an influential voice in the welfare or interest of a person or group. Derived from the Latin word avocare , meaning” to summon one’s help” the advocates of today have much on their plates. With the population of the homeless, abused or ill growing with each day advocacy is in high demand. I chose juvenile offenders as a population that may need advocacy because they have a voice that is seldom heard. As an advocate for this group my focus would be to focus on policy and giving these adolescents another chance in society. With juvenile offenders some of the same issues that led them into trouble are the same issues they face when released. My focus would be to help them refocus their attention and energy into more positive outlets with service provided by the state and government. I would want to help change how these young offenders are received by federally funded programs. GED and job training, computer and trade training are all options that they should have even if they have a criminal background. It is obvious that they have made some bad decisions buy it is not fair to let those decisions shape their future. They need to be prepared for adulthood and shown a way to get past the negative