Controlling criminal actions make societies and communities safe and secure. Punishing criminals in jails and prisons doesn’t put an end to a crime. Eradicating illegal practices requires a complete and gradual process. This process is known as criminal desistance. Under this criminals go through various treatments and rehabilitation programs. As a result of which they acquire new and healthy habits. Their dysfunctional behavior and attitude transform. All this is done to attain the objective of creating of a safer society.
Adolescents in America make a very small group in the population. However, the number of adolescents in the American population is rising and is expected to grow in the next years. The population of America constitutes about thirteen percent of the adolescent population. This makes about forty-two million adolescents living in America in the year of 2014. The percentage of the adolescent population is expected to decline to about eleven percent in the year of 2050 as compared to 2014. However, the number of adolescent in the population in the year of 2050 are expected to rise to about forty-five million in the year of 2050. The American government has to think of ways to promote healthy activities among adolescents and to provide the proper access to health services so that they can take immediate help regarding unsafe practices such as smoking or taking drugs. The population of adolescents in the American population belongs to a diversified background. They have different backgrounds, races, cultures, languages and so. Managing a diversified population of adolescents is a challenging task. The crime rate among these adolescents is rising at an alarming rate. Adolescents differ in their behavior in terms of age and gender. Male adolescents usually in the latter ages of adolescence are more likely to be engaged in criminal activities. However, younger teens are less inclined towards any such activities. Females are less involved in criminal behaviors than male adolescents (HHS).
Teen violence in America is increasing day by teens. Tens and adolescents are more into substance misuse, carrying weapons, committing suicide, harassing others, bullying and much more. The American government has to think of ways to help adolescents to get rid of such practices and to focus on healthy activities. Research studies suggest that psychological disorders are also linked to increasing crime rates among youth in the American population. Certain mental illnesses tend to cause these disorders. Proper rehabilitation programs, counseling and medications can help youth to get rid of mental disorders and resulting crimes. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety disorder, mood disorders, eating disorders, dissociative personality disorder, are a few examples of mental illnesses that result in criminal activities. One main reason why criminal activities are flared up in America is the discrimination among races that fuel up criminal behavior (Coke, Philip, and Westphal). In America, most of the time crimes conducted by teens are treated as adult crimes. They are given the same penalties as any other adult. Teens are also kept in the same jail. However, treating youth crime as any other adult crime will only aggravate criminal behavior. Instead, youth must be provided with the opportunity to rectify their behavior with the help of proper counseling sessions or rehabilitation programs.
Rehabilitation programs should have a proper plan. They should first focus on rectifying the behaviors of criminals. Timings must be appropriate. Behaviors and actions won’t be affected unless offenders are ready to alter them. Rehabilitation programs can contain many things at a time. They could incorporate education, training, etc. Ineffective correction practices that do not impact the behavior of offenders should be eradicated. For this purpose evidence-based research and cognitive-behavioral approaches could be used.