In Chapter 10, the text addresses primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention programs. We are going to review the different level programs and explore their effectiveness. Prior to beginning work on this discussion, read Chapter 10 in your text. In addition,

• Read Diverting Young Offenders From Prison Is ‘Smart Justice.’
• Read Dealing With Juvenile Offenders in the Criminal Justice System.
• Read Nothing About Us Without Us! The Failure of the Modern Juvenile Justice System and a Call for Community-Based Justice (Links to an external site.).
• Read Treatment Services in The Juvenile Justice System: Examining the Use and Funding of Services by Youth on Probation.
• Watch It’s More Expensive to Do Nothing: Prison, Recidivism, and Remediation.

In this discussion, we will examine the different levels of programs and provide an example for each level. When introducing a program to the discussion, provide a brief description of the program, its intended purpose, and the target juvenile population. Discuss your perceptions of these programs’ effectiveness. How did you come to your conclusion on effectiveness?

When responding to one of your classmates, use one of the text’s questions below concerning prevention programs to focus your response and further the conversation. Select one bullet below and present the positives and the negatives for the issue addressed:

• Does every juvenile who has been arrested need treatment? Should all juveniles arrested receive the same treatment services? Why or why not?
• Should prevention programs be given to everyone, and if so, where? Should we consider ethnicity, race, education, socioeconomic standing?
• Are the services worth the taxpayer costs? Consider both financial and social costs.
• Should we mandate prevention for school-aged children, their parents, or for both? What if the parents refuse to participate?
• What role does the state have in addressing pre-criminal status offenses or delinquent behavior? Should the state have the authority to force parents to participate? What sanctions should the state have to enforce compliance?