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ey may prove to be more effective once improved on. Juvenile boot camps run on a short term cycle and therefore are less costly. This is another goal of juvenile justice system; to reduce the cost of incarceration by having short term cycles with boot camps. It costs around ninety-three dollars to incarcerate a juvenile in a boot camp per day (Zaehringer 2).
A ninety day cycle costs right around $8,370. For a one hundred eighty day cycle it costs $16,740. Most other juvenile institutions run on one or two year cycles. This makes the cost much higher.
The cost differential for a year in boot camp ($33,480), and a year of treatment at a juvenile care facility ($47,400); is about $14,000, per juvenile, per year (Zaehringer 3). The fact that juvenile boot camps are less expensive than other juvenile institutions; and are rehabilitating the same percentage of people; proves that they are a better option for young offenders. Improving the image of corrections agencies and also public safety is another goal of juvenile justice system. Attempts to crack down on juvenile crime in the past have 8 shown failure.
Juvenile boot camps are a way to show society that something is being done to crack down on juvenile crime. In the past there were various aims that each individual boot camp had for the individual. Today almost all juvenile boot camps aim for some form of rehabilitation. The most common forms of rehabilitation include substance abuse treatment, drill and ceremony, and basic education. These forms of rehabilitation are a way for the boot camp to change a person from a juvenile delinquent into a more stable person. Camps that teach basic education are usually for those who have not yet achieved a high school diploma.
While an offender is in boot camp they are given the opportunity to achieve their GED, which is the equivalent of a high school diploma. Another form of rehabilitation is substance abuse. This form of rehabilitation is the most popular due to the fact that many believe the reason for the increase in juvenile crime is due to the increase in drug use among juveniles. These types of boot camps focus on drug and alcohol treatment to help the juvenile get over their addiction, and educate them of the harm they are causing themselves.
Other boot camps focus all their attention on military training. These camps include physical training, drill, and ceremony. Here they do all the physical training a regular boot camp would do and follow the regular drill routines. Once a person has completed the boot camp they graduate with a big ceremony. This is to show support for their achievements and to help boost their self esteem (Zaehringer 2).
The overall goals of boot camps at the individual level are to give the individual direction and to avoid crime. Due to the strict military structure of the boot camps, young offenders are quickly taught respect for authority. When an offender does not do what he/she is told there is strict punishment that follows. This promotes discipline within the individual. Through this strict discipline, boot camps hope to improve an offenders confidence; and instill in them positive social behaviors. 8 With these goals in mind a person has to look at the statistics to see how effective juvenile boot camps are in rehabilitating young offenders.
The recidivism rate for juvenile boot camps is between sixty and seventy percent (Zaehringer 1). This is the exact same recidivism rate as other juvenile institutions. Over all it proves that juvenile boot camps are lacking one key point. This key point is effective aftercare for the youth. When a person is released from a juvenile boot camp they are either placed on regular or intense parole (Alleman and Gido 213).
The juvenile boot camps in Florida have the lowest recidivism rates. This is believed to be result of a partnership between state and local government; and also effective community transitional programs (Cass 5). The state of Florida develops boot camp programs through partnerships between state and local government (Cass 1). These programs use local resources and community involvement to rehabilitate more serious offenders.
Floridas first boot camp in Manatee County is a good example of the successful partnership between state and local government. The state government pays fifty three dollars per juvenile everyday. The Manatee County Sheriffs Office provides meals, medical services, and a computer lab. This partnership between the state and local governments keeps the cost low while providing a strict rehabilitative boot camp program. The Florida boot camps are set up the same as other juvenile boot camps, with military style training and rehabilitation programs. Although there is a second key component that makes Floridas boot camps differ from others.
This difference is an effective aftercare program. This program is called the community transitional program. When a juvenile graduates from the boot camp they must attend a transition ceremony. This ceremony is to show their accomplishments; and is viewed as a new beginning (Cass 4).
Once in the community they are required to attend the aftercare program which the graduate being taken to the aftercare facility for the day. Aftercare facilities involve the graduate to be picked up early in the morning, taken to the aftercare 8 facility, and then returned home around nine p.m. (Cass 4). The graduate must attend this program for six to nine months after graduation. At the aftercare facility youths are involved with individual and group therapy; as well as recreational activities.
When the youth begins to show positive behavior they are allowed to return to a local high school or a full time job (Cass 4). Of all the graduates of Florida boot camps who have gone through this community transition program, only sixteen percent of them were sent back due to disciplinary violations. This is far less than the sixty to seventy percent recidivism rates of other boot camps. Solving the problem of juvenile delinquency cannot be accomplished by coming up with a new juvenile justice policy, it can only hope to contain it. Ever since the problem arose in the 1800s there have been policies trying to change peoples behaviors.
This is not the problem; the problem is within the capitalistic structure of our society. Our society is set up so that there are winners and losers. Through this process social classes are formed, and therefore people are left out. These people who feel left out have not found their place within society. This then results in delinquent behavior.
This is a big problem that could be solved but isnt because it is thought to be too costly. Maybe juvenile boot camps are the answer to the problem; we will have to wait and see. For now, it appears to me juvenile boot camps are just another juvenile institution trying to solve the bigger problem. It is hard to say whether or not juvenile boot camps are the solution to the problem; for now it looks as though they can only contain it.
Current Events Essays.
