Keeping Kids in the Home and out of the System

Studieshaveconsistentlyconcludedthatmanypersonalitydisordersandmoreseriousmentaldisordersarebelievedtobethe resultofdysfunctionalfamilyrelationshipsandveryoftenstemfromtheparent-childrelationship.Thismakessensechildreninitially learnimportantbehaviorsfromtheirfamiliesoforigin.Forexampleparentsarethefirstonestosocializetheirchildsotheycanteachtheirchildrensocializeandtosaypleaseandthankyoutaketurnsbe patientetc.TheprimarypurposeofthisbookistoassurethatparentshavetheinformationtheyneedtoproperlyraisechildrenwhohavetheskillsnecessarytobesuccessfuladultsandnotendupintheCriminalJusticeSystem.Bythetimeyouthendupinthejuvenilejusticesystemitmaybetoolate.Theybecomelabelledanoffenderormaybeevenapredator.Thatlabelgivessocietytherighttolocktheyouthupduringwhichtimetheywillbetraumatized.Sometimeswell-meaninguninformedandfrustratedparentsperpetuatetheirchildrenenteringthecriminaljusticesystemandevenofchildservingagenciessuchassocialservices.Whenparentsarefacedwithchildrenwhoareincorrigibleat-riskortheparentisunabletocareforthechildduetotheirownpersonalproblemssomeparentswillwelcometheinterventionofthecriminaljusticesystemforsupport.AftertheirchildhasbeentakenintocustodyIhavehadparentstellmeyouraisemychildbecauseIcannotdoit.Someparentsbelievethathavingaccesstoaprobationofficerwithabadgeandpowersofarrestgivesthemthereliefandrespitetheyneededtoaddresstheirchildsdestructivebehavior.Mythreedecadesofexperienceworkingwithyouthandparentsinthecriminaljusticerevealedthatinmostcasesprobationandsocialservicesinterventiondonotmakeyouthbetter.ConverselyformostyouththeirexperiencewithsocialservicesandprobationdepartmentshasresultedinongoingdelinquencyandtheyouthtransitioningintotheadultCriminalJusticeSystem.Howevergoodparentingisthegatekeepertothecriminaljusticesystem.