| Teaching Offenders about the Juvenile Court: What alternatives did Ms. Cook have? Wednesday, April 5, 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m.
Bebs Chorak, Street Law, Inc.
Teaching law-related education in Juvenile Justice settings meets three important
goals: demystifying the law, reducing anger and fear due to the “unknown”
system, and teaching important resiliency skills. Demystifying the law: A great many young
people have a distorted view of the law. To some it is remote and impersonal. To others it
is a nuisance or something to put up with or get around. Still others connect law only
with punishment. Such distorted views lead to indifference, disrespect and cynicism…
qualities hardly conducive to maintenance of a healthy society. The Unknown system: When
youth are involved in the juvenile justice system without an understanding of it, they may
become hostile and more difficult to work with. Resiliency skills: Problem solving,
communication, empathy and a belief in the future have been identified as necessary for
positive youth development. A youth involved in the juvenile justice system is most likely
not to have these skills. This interactive session will feature a lesson that combines
information on the juvenile justice system with skills in alternative means of resolving
conflict. A discussion will follow on programs and curricula that fit into specific
juvenile justice settings. Lessons and handouts will be available.
Back to Top
|
