Some juveniles who get into legal trouble end up being incarcerated. There is a belief that incarcerating a juvenile is a way for the legal system to rehabilitate that child. However, juvenile incarceration is often framed as a short-term response to larger issues, but the effects of choosing this option for punishment can extend far beyond the limits of the confinement.
In Washington, research shows that detention can significantly disrupt a young person’s education. This can cause setbacks that persist a long time after they are released from the facility. For many youth offenders, involvement in the juvenile justice system marks a turning point away from academic stability. This works directly against rehabilitation.
Why is juvenile detention disruptive to the child’s education?
Youth prisoners are removed from regular classrooms; they have different teachers, and their peers may not be at the same educational level. Although detention facilities provide educational services, these are often much different from a standard curriculum that you’d find in a traditional school. As a result, students may fall behind or struggle to reintegrate academically when they return to their regular schooling.
Another issue for those who are high school age is that there is often a credit loss because of the schooling in the juvenile justice system. Courses completed in detention do not always transfer back to the student’s school, which means that even though the student was learning something while they were in detention, they will not receive credit for it. Ultimately, this could cost some children their ability to graduate with their peers.
Research in Washington shows that youth who experience juvenile detention are less likely to graduate high school than similar peers who were not incarcerated. While detention is associated with rehabilitation by many people, the negative consequences on the education sometimes provide a life disruption that’s difficult to overcome. Any parent who has a child facing a case in the juvenile justice system should ensure they understand the options that they have for handling that case. It may be beneficial to work with someone familiar with these matters.