Troubled Teens Resources

One method of teen crisis intervention being employed in various cities around the country is teen court. This method of meting out justice has proven successful, often saving a out-of-control teen from offending again and landing in boot camps or schools for troubled teens.

“Teen Court has been a voluntary option for first-time juvenile offenders in Lawrence County for the past 12 years. The biggest benefit Teen Court affords the offender is a second chance, a chance to keep their record clean through successful completion of the Teen Court program and process. If the juvenile offender successfully completes the Teen Court program, their case is dismissed and their juvenile record remains clean.”

It seems peers do not like coming in front of their peers and being judged and such a judgement seems to be a strong factor for later deterrence.

The benefits the program holds for the community are two-fold. One is a focus on restorative justice, coupled with measures to deter first-time offenders from re-offending and, two, a savings to taxpayers. “We are making an impact with youth upon their first arrest. Being judged by their peers sends a strong message that this is not acceptable behavior. It is our goal to deter these first-time offenders, so we don’t see them as second, third or chronic offenders in the system,” said Todd.

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Teen crisis intervention programs have been organized nation wide in an effort to stem the tide of teen age crime and drug abuse. One such popular program, Drug Court, has had measurably good success with re-offenders.

The cycle of drug abuse is rarely ended after the first cycle of rehab for many teenagers. A run through a boot camp or brat camp, if there are even any available, is rarely enough in hard core cases. It is difficult to equip a teen to deal with the pervasive influence of drugs if they live in the midst of a neighborhood that is rife with dealers and gangs. Teen programs such as Drug Court give teens a last chance to reform before the system swallows them up.

“Teenagers who repeatedly land in juvenile court for drug- and alcohol-related crimes have a new opportunity to get clean.
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The program aims to reduce recidivism and teach teenagers how to be responsible human beings with no drug or alcohol abuse…
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Drug court, which takes between 12 and 18 months to complete, consists of five phases, each a bit less intense than the last.

Offenders accepted into the drug court program suffer from addiction and, without serious intervention, they risk being taken from their homes and put in a youth center for in-patient treatment.
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Offenders with diagnosed substance abuse or dependency who need treatment with a juvenile record are eligible for the program. The substance abuse treatment is done through the Washington County Health Department, Bricker said.
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“It’s a last-ditch effort prior to going to placement,” said Cherity Shahan of the Department of Juvenile Services.”

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