Week 1: Blog #4

In the film " Missouri's Different Approach to Juvenile Justice", the noteworthy approach Missouri has taken to provide more than a detention center for the state's criminal youth has been deemed very successful.  As with all criminal detention centers it sees its repeat offenders but recognizing the mental and emotional differences between adolescents and adults there are substantial differences between their adult and juvenile centers.

One key approach at the Waverly Youth Center and Rosa Parks center which are featured on the film, is the facilities are not full of white walled cells, bars and barred windows.  Instead it renders the appearance of a group home with bunk beds and no lock downs.  The facilities remain guarded and secure but juvenile inmates are not treated as adult criminals. 

Secondly, as noted on the video, the response from the juveniles that are serving time at one of the two mentioned facilities seem to agree that the disciplined structure is providing a way for them to "learn how to live". School is conducted five days a week and they having times of sharing, allowing the juveniles to open up to one another and support one another.  Several adolescents on both videos demonstrated the ability to release deep seeded issues that may be key to unlocking the anger and aggression shadowing these issues.

In both videos drugs seemed to play a role in many adolescents' lives, either stemming from a parent or sibling to eventually being the gateway to personal drug use behind many of the charges the adolescents faced.  Drugs however, seemed to be the only outlet for the pain and neglect behind many of the personal stories shared by those interviewed. some adolescents revealed that they turned to gangs and gang members for a sense of support and "family", becoming high school drop outs and living amongst guns, robbery and homicide. 
One particular event that captured my heart was that at the Waverly institution, role models and adolescents alike shared a sense of love and nurturing by giving each other a simple hug.
One difficulty that seemed problematic was how difficult it was for some of the adolescents to open up about their childhood experiences for fear that perpetrators (who are more times than not, a relative or close acquaintance) then become involved in legal implications.  I noticed, especially amongst young men this actually caused hesitation to come forward and face their abuse and abuser(s).


Films for the Humanities and Sciences."Death Row Kids" 2005. Online video clip. Arizona Universities Library Consortium. FMG Video On Demand. Accessed on 05 June 2011. http://digital.films.com/play/VGL58V


Films for the Humanities and Sciences."Missouri's Different Approach to Juvenile Justice" 2009. Online video clip. Arizona Universities Library Consortium. FMG Video On Demand. Accessed on 05 June 2011.

http://digital.films.com.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/play/VU5HSY