1. Juvenile Reform: On the Right Track?
The development of problem-solving courts was an innovative response to offenders' problems such as: drug abuse, mental illness, and domestic violence problems. ... Instead of a jail sentence, defendants receive counseling, treatment for their addictions, education assistance, and healthcare support. ... The participants who fail the program routinely receive jail or prison sentences (Rempel 2012). ...
The laws were also largely motivated by concerns for public safety and, with the intention of protecting communities, these policies included harsh long term sentencing requirements for a variety of offenses. ... Similar to mandatory minimum sentencing laws, this mandated that, regardless of mitigating circumstances or situational context, schools must expel any student found carrying a gun on school grounds. ...