Keeping Kids in the Home and out of the System

Studieshaveconsistentlyconcludedthatmanypersonalitydisordersandmoreseriousmentaldisordersarebelievedtobethe resultof
dysfunctionalfamilyrelationships,andvery
oftenstemfromtheparent-childrelationship.Thismakessense,childreninitially learnimportantbehaviorsfromtheirfamiliesoforigin.
Forexample,parentsarethefirstonestosocialize
theirchildsotheycanteachtheirchildrensocialize
andtosaypleaseandthankyou,taketurns,be patientetc.Theprimarypurposeofthisbookisto
assurethatparentshavetheinformationtheyneed
toproperlyraisechildrenwhohavetheskillsnecessary
tobesuccessfuladultsandnotendupintheCriminal
JusticeSystem.Bythetimeyouthendupinthe
juvenilejusticesystem,itmaybetoolate.Theybecomelabelledanoffenderormaybeevenapredator.That
labelgivessocietytherighttolocktheyouthup
duringwhichtimetheywillbetraumatized.

Sometimeswell-meaning,uninformed,andfrustratedparents
perpetuatetheirchildrenenteringthecriminaljustice
systemandevenofchildservingagenciessuchas
socialservices.Whenparentsarefacedwithchildren
whoareincorrigible,at-risk,ortheparentisunabletocareforthechilddue
totheirownpersonalproblems,someparentswill
welcometheinterventionofthecriminaljusticesystem
forsupport.Aftertheirchildhasbeentakenintocustody,
Ihavehadparentstellme,youraisemychildbecauseI
cannotdoit.Someparentsbelievethathavingaccess
toaprobationofficerwithabadgeandpowersofarrest,givesthemthereliefandrespitetheyneededtoaddress
theirchildsdestructivebehavior.Mythreedecadesof
experienceworkingwithyouthandparentsinthe
criminaljusticerevealedthat,inmostcases,probationandsocialservicesinterventiondonotmakeyouthbetter.
Converselyformostyouth,theirexperiencewith
socialservicesandprobationdepartmentshas
resultedinongoingdelinquencyandtheyouth
transitioningintotheadultCriminalJusticeSystem.
However,goodparentingisthegatekeepertothe
criminaljusticesystem.