Juvenile Boot Camps Research Paper

Boot camps, reception and diagnostic centers, and ranches/forestry camps are alternative places for juvenile offenders to be housed instead of placing them in jail or prison. These camps and centers have one main purpose and that is to help rehabilitate juvenile offenders. Boot camps are a military designed program that focuses on physical training, and regimented activity. Juveniles are usually housed at these types of camps for a period of 60-120 days. In these boot camps a range of counseling, educational programs, and military style discipline throughout the day help the juvenile focus on their life in a different perspective that just being placed on probation at home. Reception and diagnostic centers are initially a place where juvenile
offenders will go to be evaluated as to where they should be housed. Juveniles will be seen by a variety of doctors and social workers with the intent to gather much information about the juvenile and what would be in their best interest. This process takes approximately 34 days to complete, however not all states have these centers to utilize and so this process will take place in other institutions (Bartollas & Miller, 2014).
Lastly, ranches/forestry camps are minimum security and give offenders more freedom than other facilities. Offenders who attend this camp are seen by social workers and case managers to guide and help rehabilitate them. Offenders are expected to work at this type of camp. The type of work they may perform is cutting grass, cleaning up parks and general maintenance. This type of camp gives more of a therapeutic approach when dealing with juvenile offenders. All in all, these camps and centers provide another method of trying to deter future juvenile delinquency rather than sending them to jail and not giving these offenders the proper help they need (Bartollas & Miller, 2014).