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12 The Justice System
Pages 103-108

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From page 103...
... Millions of young adults are involved in the juvenile or adult justice systems in the United States each year, and this involvement can have dramatic impacts on their lives. Two speakers explored these and other impacts of the justice system on the lives of young adults.
From page 104...
... . The juvenile system also has become more systematic in its identification of juveniles with mental health disorders and in its use of evidencebased practice.
From page 105...
... About 10 percent self-report serious and relatively stable rates of offending. About a fifth of the group begins by committing serious offenses, but drops to a low rate over the followup period (in their late teens and early 20s)
From page 106...
... HEALTH AND SAFETY IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM Health care policy in the justice system is informed by few data about the characteristics or needs of prisoners, said Robert Greifinger, adjunct professor of health and criminal justice and Distinguished Research Fellow at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. Prisoners, whether young or old, tend to be treated the same way, regardless of developmental needs in younger inmates and cognitive and sensory deficits in
From page 107...
... Prisoners who display symptoms of mental illness, such as agitation, may be placed in segregation as punishment for acting out, rather than receive an evaluation and medical treatment for the mental health condition causing the behavior. According to Greifinger, "the overuse of segregation in prisons as punishment for minor infractions is becoming a major issue of attention right now." One rule infraction, such as a fight, can put an 18or 19-year-old in segregation for 6 to 12 months -- 23 hours per day in the cell, with no social contact, rarely a book, and limitations on visitations, said Greifinger.
From page 108...
... . would be the provision of better mental health care in the community and better options for prevention, identification, and treatment of drug abuse." If that is done first, said Greifinger, it is likely the demand for prison beds will "go down dramatically." During the discussion session, Richard Bonnie noted that this is a complicated issue and highlighted several factors that may contribute to the high incarceration rate in the United States, including economic interests inherent in the justice system, the justice system's objectives of retribution and deterrence, the role incarceration may play in lowering the crime rate, and the dispersion of costs across many entities.


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