Prevention and Strategies When Dealing with Today's Youth

Having prevention programs in place within the community is essential for youths. There are several different types of prevention which are corrective, punitive, and mechanical prevention.

Corrective prevention focuses on eliminating conditions that lead to or cause criminal behavior. Punitive prevention relies on the threat of punishment to forestall criminal acts. Mechanical prevention is making it impossible to commit a crime. Examples of mechanical preventions are things such as security alarms, locks on doors, or bars on windows (Hess & Drowns, 2004).

Primary prevention can be directed toward youth with no distinction between those who have committed a crime and those who have not (Hess & Drowns, 2004). It is considered to be elements of both corrective and mechanical prevention. An example of this type of program is a nation wide program called Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is a mentoring program. It is believed that if youth develop positive relationships with adults, it will have a lasting impact on the child and by receiving guidance and care; it is a proactive approach to delinquency. The program is offered to any child ages 6-18 who is considered at-risk or one who had been mandated by the court to participate. They offer two different types of mentoring one is community based and the other is called site based (Big, n.d.).

Community based mentoring is when the mentor and youth will share activities out in their community. They may go for walks, talk, play board games or sports. Site mentoring is when mentors will go to participating schools or after school recreation and work with the children on their homework, read stories, or participate in other activities having to do with their education (Big, n.d.).

Another example of a primary prevention is a program called Families and Schools Together (F.A.S.T.) This program is also for at-risk youth. The goal of this program is to bring families together to form relationships between parents, children, and schools to increase children's academic performance. They also address problems such as "school failure, alcohol, and drug use, violence, delinquency, and child abuse and neglect" (F.A.S.T., n.d.). Meetings are once a week, for eight weeks at which time they will have discussions, dinner, play games, and have family time. They offer free meals, free transportation and free day care for those parents who need a break (F.A.S.T.,n.d.).

Secondary prevention is a form of punitive prevention. It seeks early identification and intervention of youths or groups that are found in crime causing incidents. The goal of secondary prevention is change the behavior of those who may become delinquent (at-risk). An example of Secondary prevention is a program called Gang Reduction Program.

Virginia has very little resources for violent offenders, usually because they are convicted as adults. However, Virginia is working to change this by enacting programs to help with prevention. The Gang Reduction Program is not in effect as of yet when it is in effect, it will be designed to reduce gang activities is neighborhoods such as Richmond, Virginia. The OJJDP is the entity that has funded the grant to begin this program by "Using state and federal resources to incorporate state of the art practices in prevention, intervention, and suppression in program activities and resources to enhance pro- social influences in the community (Office, n.d.). They will focus on programs that offer restitution to victims, cleaning up the community, and counseling for youth and family. This way they can learn to take responsibility for their actions, and learn to work together with other community members.

The last form of prevention is Tertiary. Tertiary prevention is both corrective and mechanical. It focuses on rehabilitation or treatment (Hess & Drowns, 2004). In Norfolk, Virginia children who are detained for committing a crime punishable by law, children of abuse or neglect, or children who are lawfully detained until they are appear in court are sent to the Norfolk Juvenile Detention Center, this is a mechanical prevention. The corrective for Tertiary would be programs such as Anger Management Programs.

Anger Management Programs are for any age person who has violent tendencies or behaviors. They teach empathy and compassion and improve social skills and impulse control. This form of prevention is available throughout the court systems in the United States, and is usually mandated by the courts. The Anger Management Programs are in place as an approach to correct problems of those who have been involved in any kind of domestic violence case (Child, n.d.)

By identifying children who are at-risk or show violence at an early age, the parents and schools can find help and resources with in the community and be proactive in providing programs and aide to families who may have children who are at risk. The community needs to become involved with the youth to help them become productive citizens while supporting the schools, churches, and organizations, and programs with in the community. Children who are already in the system need rehabilitation, guidance, and support so that they can re enter the society and be a productive citizens. By offering programs to those who are in the community and those who are incarcerated, they will help guide our youth to better lives. The key to success begins at home with the parental involvement, then it flows into the school systems, and ends in the community. We all need to work together in our efforts to make our communities safer and a better place for our children to grow up in.

By identifying children who are at-risk or show violence at an early age, the parents and schools can find help and resources with in the community and be proactive in providing programs and aide to families who may have children who are at risk. The community needs to become involved with the youth to help them become productive citizens while supporting the schools, churches, and organizations, and programs with in the community. Children who are already in the system need rehabilitation, guidance, and support so that they can re enter the society and be a productive citizens. By offering programs to those who are in the community and those who are incarcerated, they will help guide our youth to better lives. The key to success begins at home with the parental involvement, then it flows into the school systems, and ends in the community. We all need to work together in our efforts to make our communities safer and a better place for our children to grow up in.