Megan Barnes post 2 - Access and Choice

MB2 - Access and choice for children in the juvenile justice system

                When doing the intake interviews for the children held in the detention center, we are required to fill out the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) form. There are ten questions that cover verbal, emotional, and physical abuse from parents, the love and support you get from your family, your access to good food and clean clothes, the way your mother and father interact with one another, and the mental illness and addiction history of your family. When these kids are lacking in the things that we would consider basic requirements for a happy, healthy childhood, they are much more susceptible to outside influence and involvement in illegal activities.  

                There seems to be a disturbing trend of children with low self-esteem coming through the juvenile justice system. Many respond affirmatively to at least one of the negative parental interaction questions. If a child has grown up constantly being told what a disappointment he is by his mother or being punished or shamed by his teachers, how can we expect him to believe in himself and want to finish high school? Children that have been charged with an offense – even before they are adjudicated (found guilty and sentenced to some sort of punishment) – typically face school consequences such as suspension or expulsion due to the time they spend in detention and the negative reputation associated with it. Several children have been forced to fail their summer classes simply because they had to wait in the detention center for a couple days before their detention hearing, where the judge will rule if there is even probable cause for them to be there.

                It has also been difficult to find after-school or summer programs for children that have been in the justice system. Many programs simply won’t accept these children, since they are viewed as threatening, and even if they do many of the families cannot afford them. If a teenager no longer attends school and cannot find acceptable programs, they may try to find a job. This presents yet another obstacle, as many companies will automatically discredit them if they have any sort of criminal record. The entire interaction with the justice system places a stigma on the child. If they cannot finish high school or get a job, how can we expect them to believe they have potential? Failure to achieve coupled with an unsupportive home environment can lead to self-doubt and feelings of worthlessness, which in turn can lead to searching for other, more unhealthy support systems and self-destructive behaviors.

                These children did not chose to grow up in an environment that placed them at an emotional, physical, or social disadvantage, and now their access to education or jobs has been severely restricted. It is important to remember that these children still have the potential to succeed – to say that they are predestined to fail is just reinforcing the stereotypes that influence their negative views of themselves. But there have been significant barriers placed in their way that limit access and choice, and we must acknowledge that they may have to work ten times harder than others to achieve the same results.