Juvenile Justice at a Crossroads

The juvenile justice system is at a crossroads as we progress into the 21st century. The social and political consensus that sustained the system as we know it for a century appears to be unraveling. We will witness continued modifications to the juvenile justice system in the years to come. Recent trends raise the question of whether the reformers will retain some of the compassion for young people that was such an impetus to the creation of a separate juvenile justice system in the first place.

To be effective, the system will require that sufficient resources be devoted to fulfill the mission assigned to it. Juvenile courts must have appropriate power and authority, sufficient trained personnel, and adequate facilities to meet their obligations and responsibilities.

Since 1984, there has been a 68 percent increase in juvenile court filings nationwide. Since 1987, juveniles detained and committed to state institutions have risen from approximately 90,000 to 400,000 in 2002. The system is plagued by overcrowding and understaffing in courtrooms, treatment programs and detention facilities. Failure to invest in children now -- and at the earliest point of intervention possible — may entail high costs later in increased crime and social decay. It costs each state approximately $6,000 per year to educate a child. Yet it costs a state over $30,000 per year to detain a child in a residential facility (including prison). It appears cost-effective to invest in early intervention to prevent children from reaching the point where the state must detain them away from their families.

Pressing social problems like juvenile crime cannot be solved by the courts alone, acting, as it were, in a vacuum. There must be an active collaboration among multiple elements in communities and governments: political, educational, and religious leaders; civic organizations; law enforcement agencies; and others. This requires that leaders stop blaming one another, stop acting chiefly in response to sensationalist crime reporting in the mass media, and start working together more purposefully to solve a critical complex of issues affecting young people and society at large.

Exercise 6. Retell the text “Juvenile Justice at a Crossroads”.

Auding Skills

Task 5

One of the Missing

Vocabulary

regiment - полк

rifle - винтовка

picket line - линия пикета

rifle-pit - одиночный окопчик

mound - насыпь, вал

shell - гильза

cannon - пушка

muzzle - дуло

unconscious - без сознания

Exercise 1. Fill the gaps with the words from the text

1. Searing could shoot _________ well.

2. Pickets guarded the men of their ____________ .

3. The pickets ________ _______ to sleep.

4. The ______ quickly lay flat on the _________ .

5. This will be a good place to _______ and _______ .

6. There were no trees between the ______ and ______ .

7. The metal barrels of their _______ shone in the morning sunlight.

8. Searing had to return quickly to his own _________ .

9. When Searing opened his eyes he saw _____ ______ .

10. The ring was, in fact, the ______ of his own rifle.

11. The powerful rifle was loaded with a ______ .

12. The scout was extremely tired, but he did not _____ .

13. ______ were climbing near the rifle.

14. _______ Searing came to the farm house.

15. The time was ____ ____ .

Exercise 2. Answer the questions.

1.What did Private Searing have to do?

2. Why did they choose him?

3.What did he decide to do before going to his regiment?

4. Did he do it? Why?

5. Was he a brave man?

6. What happened next?

7. What was Private Searing afraid of?

8. How did he die?

9. Why didn’t his brother recognize him?

10. What is the main idea of the story?

Exercise 3. Write down the short summary of the story