How Does the State of New Jersey Rehabilitate Juvenile Offenders?
The state of New Jersey has implemented several programs to rehabilitate juvenile offenders. Through education, vocational training and counseling, the hope is that juvenile offenders can leave the juvenile justice system and go on to complete their education and successfully assimilate back into their communities.
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Pre-Release Training
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Before juvenile offenders are released from detention centers they are subject to a pre-release training period. The training period is provided so offenders are fully prepared to return to their communities. Families are often involved in the pre-release process to provide the support that a juvenile needs to return home and to life at school. Vocational and employment training helps offenders develop a skill set that will allow them to succeed in school and gain employment to keep them off the streets. Pre-release training also helps the offender adjust to the freedom and the temptations of freedom that go along with being released from a detention facility.
Transitional Facilities
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While pre-release training is provided while the juvenile offender is still incarcerated, the state of New Jersey also provides facilities where the juvenile can live while in the transition period. Juveniles in these facilities are in a home environment while also being under constant supervision. Transitional schools are also available to juvenile offenders who need to be acclimated to returning to the educational system. Transitional services include drug rehabilitation and education, mental health treatment, supportive employment and programs that are aimed at reducing gang affiliation.
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Supervision
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Supervision is a vital component in reducing the risk of a juvenile offender being returned to a detention center. Juvenile offenders in New Jersey are subject to a supervision period in which they are gradually reintroduced to their communities. Juveniles are often placed on parole or probation, through which juvenile justice officers can track their participation in rehabilitative activities, perform frequent drug and alcohol screenings and return the juvenile to a detention center if he or she breaks the conditions of probation or parole.
Special Needs
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The New Jersey juvenile justice system has several rehabilitative programs for juveniles with special needs. Mental health programs are available to counsel and treat offenders who suffer from emotional disorders. These mental health services are provided at the Fresh Start Residential Community Home at the New Jersey Training School. Juvenile sex offenders receive specialized treatment at the Pinelands Residential Community Home, and juveniles with substance abuse problems are treated at the DOVES (Developing Opportunities and Values through Education and Substance Abuse Treatment) Residential Community Home.
Diversion and Prevention
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The New Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission has several diversion programs in place to prevent the arrest and incarceration of juvenile offenders. Police diversion allows a police officer to issue a warning or return a juvenile to the custody of their parent or guardian. Crisis intervention services are also available to provide services to juveniles and their families rather than being immediately placed in the court system. Court proceedings may also be diverted by the Juvenile Conference Committee if the offense committed is minor in nature.
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