Use of De-escalation Skills in a Juvenile Correctional System to Change the Culture

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CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW1

PROBLEM STATEMENT1

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY1

SYNOPSIS OF THE STUDY1

Theories of Juvenile Delinquency5

Social Learning Theory6

Staff Competence7

Differential Association Theory11

Self-Efficacy Theory12

Conceptual Debate on the Theories of Juvenile Justice14

Use of De-escalation inside the Juvenile Correctional Settings16

De-escalation strategies a pleasant path of conflict resolution17

De-escalation in Conflict Situations19

PREVIEW OF THE MAJOR SECTIONS21

REFERENCES22

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

Problem Statement

The problem, which is going to be addressed in this research study, is associated with the use of de-escalation skills in a Juvenile Correctional System to change the culture. The reason behind the selection of this topic is the increasing number of juvenile offenders that are being divulged inside the juvenile correctional settings have been observed to be suffering from physcological disorders. Juvenile correctional system often house girls and boys from ages 14 to 19. These detainees could possess a history of violent offences or they could have committed repeat felonies. Thus, due to their young age and the nature of the offenses conducted by them the issues of aggression and violence can occur from time to time. It would be immensely beneficial for these children's if the officers working inside juvenile correctional settings take steps for the prevention of aggressive incidents by applying their de-escalation skills. It would automatically prevent the escalation of violent event even before they occur.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to identify the current issues which are being faced by the officers working inside correctional settings. Along, with the identification of de-escalation skills that could be implemented inside the correctional settings. This would require training of staff for improving the behavior management and communication skills, and teaching the staff for recognizing the early warning of escalation. These skills would help the officers to teach the detainees an extensive amount of useful skills to earning an honest living once released from the correctional facility.

Synopsis of the Study

Prior to the 20th century, it had long been held that children who committed crimes were to be treated the same way as adults in the criminal justice system and in prisons. In 1899, the first juvenile court was established in Cook County, Illinois (Puzzanchera, Adams, & Sickmund, 2010). With the establishment of juvenile courts, a shift to rehabilitate and provide individualized care and treatment of young people became the goal of the courts (Puzzanchera, Adams, & Sickmund, 2010). By 1925, all but two states in the United States had established juvenile courts (Knoll, & Sickmund, 2012). Beginning in the 1980s crimes committed by juveniles increased dramatically. In 1994, juvenile crime peaked; it steadily declined for the 10 years that followed. The most significant increase in juvenile offending has been with female offenders. Between 1999 and 2008, arrests of juvenile males decreased more than for juvenile females (Knoll, & Sickmund, 2012). It is unknown as to why the arrest rates for females continue to rise. Currently there is no agreed upon explanation for this rise in female ...