Mentoring Program to Reduce Juvenile Recidivism
Introduction
Youth are often confronted with socio-economical and political challenges including poverty, ethic and minority status and are often cited as at risk for committing long-term community problems like rise in crime due to substance abuse, school drop-out and several forms of academic failures, delinquencies, criminal offenses and unemployment (e.g. Grisso, Vincent & Seagrave, 2005; Champion & Mays, 1991; Fellmeth, 2002). According to Grisso and his colleagues (2005), the argument that in order to help young offenders that were placed under rehabilitation centers reconnect to community and avoid recidivism is to provide them education and employment opportunities upon release. It is in this area where mentoring programs to achieve this goal are gaining popularity, the authors said (p.20).
The purpose of this paper is to survey the literature that tackles mentoring the youth at risk of re-offending, particularly those included in the juvenile justice system. Mentoring is an intervention program which aims to create a caring environment for youth offenders and connecting them to education and employment opportunities in their respective communities (Buckley & Zimmerman, 2003). A study in this area is necessary as this will serve as an information tool to government and non-government agencies which handle juvenile delinquents, as they develop mentoring initiatives to reduce recidivism or re-offense.
In conducting literature survey, several methods were employed. First, searches were done in databases of electronic journals as well as search engine Google Scholar using keywords like mentoring, mentoring programs, youth offenders, juvenile delinquency, juvenile recidivism, and incarcerated youth. Secondly, bibliographies of recently published researches were reviewed. The criteria considered in selecting potential articles included studies which pertained to youth (within 12-18 age group) at risk of re-offending and delinquency. Also, studies were limited
Youth are often confronted with socio-economical and political challenges including poverty, ethic and minority status and are often cited as at risk for committing long-term community problems like rise in crime due to substance abuse, school drop-out and several forms of academic failures, delinquencies, criminal offenses and unemployment (e.g. Grisso, Vincent & Seagrave, 2005; Champion & Mays, 1991; Fellmeth, 2002). According to Grisso and his colleagues (2005), the argument that in order to help young offenders that were placed under rehabilitation centers reconnect to community and avoid recidivism is to provide them education and employment opportunities upon release. It is in this area where mentoring programs to achieve this goal are gaining popularity, the authors said (p.20).
The purpose of this paper is to survey the literature that tackles mentoring the youth at risk of re-offending, particularly those included in the juvenile justice system. Mentoring is an intervention program which aims to create a caring environment for youth offenders and connecting them to education and employment opportunities in their respective communities (Buckley & Zimmerman, 2003). A study in this area is necessary as this will serve as an information tool to government and non-government agencies which handle juvenile delinquents, as they develop mentoring initiatives to reduce recidivism or re-offense.
In conducting literature survey, several methods were employed. First, searches were done in databases of electronic journals as well as search engine Google Scholar using keywords like mentoring, mentoring programs, youth offenders, juvenile delinquency, juvenile recidivism, and incarcerated youth. Secondly, bibliographies of recently published researches were reviewed. The criteria considered in selecting potential articles included studies which pertained to youth (within 12-18 age group) at risk of re-offending and delinquency. Also, studies were limited
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