Megan Barnes, Blog Post 1: June 4, 2015

Hey yall!

I have been working at the Public Defender’s Office in the Juvenile Courts – which means I defend children under the age of 18 against their charges and ensure that they get a fair and expedient trial while also providing social services and emotional support. In order to have a happy and productive fellowship, I must reconcile my typical social and moral codes with the need for understanding and empathy for the children in the juvenile system. We have been taught from a young age that a crime requires a punishment, and that violent crimes against others, such as rape and murder, are committed by monsters that should be removed from general society. On the surface, this seems to be an excellent rule. But when confronted with these young perpetrators the right and wrong, good and bad paradigms have to shift.  

[Details deleted at Megan's request in order to avoid posting any identifying information that might lead to a breach in confidentiality.---RSG]

I’ve thought a lot about this, and I think I have to frame it in a way that focuses on understanding the background of the child as well as his or her future, but disregards what the actual crime was. It happened. It’s over. Trying to help the child overcome various social, mental, or emotional problems will eliminate the stressors that could cause the child to commit crimes more so than sending them to juvenile detention or a correction facility where they are cut off from any true support system. Rehabilitating the child may not serve the needs of ‘justice’ per se, but it will benefit the child as well as the community as a whole. Of course, since I am involved in the legal defense of the child, ignoring the crime and the immediate circumstances is impossible, but using this tactic in a moral sense will be helpful as I move forward in this fellowship.