Teenage Wasteland: They’re Not All Wasted

There is a myth that is perpetuated regarding teenagers – specifically the idea that some are good and some are bad. Growing up in a fairly urban area in the 1980s, I could tell you my social circle was populated not with the “good” and “bad,” but with the decidedly grey pallor of moral ambiguity. I had friends who were seemingly virtuous, making the grade, comforting their parents, but ultimately ticking time bombs of self-indulgence and self-destruction. I had a friend who looked the part of teenage angst and rebellion (multiple piercings, tattoos, dead roses decorating their room, etc) and this person went on to dazzle everyone with her academic achievements and tireless humanitarian drive. There were also friends who succumbed to drug addiction, mental illness, and even a friend who was locked up at the age of 16 for murder. Sounds like a motley bunch, I know. However, I would like to think that this loosely associated group was representative of the developmental chaos and collective confusion that existed at that time (as I would imagine it is not all that different for today’s teenage population).

Shortly after I graduated from my turbulent teenage years, the juvenile justice system went into clampdown mode – sending more and more children to juvenile lockups (sometimes for months) while they awaited trial for nonviolent offenses or even noncriminal behavior like being “unruly.” And as everyone knows, children who spend their formative years in detention are far more likely to slip deeper into delinquency than they are to correct bad behavior.

A few years back, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, which focuses on disadvantaged children, advocated only locking up children who were violent and/or truly dangerous, by underwriting juvenile justice reform projects in five states in the early 1990s. The results of these few programs have been overwhelmingly positive, as many areas have managed to cut the number of children in detention by half or more; in many, the youth crime rate has declined. For those children that don’t fall into the realm of violet offenders, there are programs that invite collaboration among law enforcement, the juvenile justice system, as well as judges and public defenders to determine what is needed for these children/teens that are acting out and breaking laws.

This all seems like a no-brainer to me, but for many, hard justice seems like the only option when confronting teenage delinquency and rebellion. Have we lost our innocence and proceeded to take out our own frustrations and desires for order on our children? Are we too easy and too abiding when it comes to bad behavior among teenagers? Are the problems of our criminal justice system rooted in the way we treat juvenile offenders? If anyone has any personal experience with this, we would love to hear from you!

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Angela N.

11:36AM PDT on Mar 30, 2012

thanks

send a green star

Brian M.

1:03PM PST on Feb 28, 2012

When kids go wrong, it seems they can go really wrong...and, of course, it grabs the headlines. We act like the dam has busted and the floodwaters are almost upon us. We do need better policies for dealing with kids...and parents need help too. It's too easy to talk about what they aren't doing or what they are doing wrong, but there is rarely any talk about what parents might need to do better parenting. All this said, however, the reality is that most kids never get into much trouble at all. And, even many of the kids who flirt with trouble and who keep their parents fearfully worried about the future...even many of those kids turn out far better than anyone can imagine. We just need better intervention for the kids that are at most risk.

Kathy P.

9:10AM PST on Feb 27, 2012

make them WORK.. don't just lock them up. Show them the value of making their own way and their own money. Rehabilitate instead of punishing

Joe R.

3:58PM PST on Feb 26, 2012

Interesting!

Sue H.

9:18AM PST on Feb 26, 2012

I'd rather see non violent kids be made to participate in community service, not just picking trash up but things like teaching younger kids to read or garden or assist a senior. ??

Nancy B.

5:42PM PST on Feb 24, 2012

I believe people are molded by genetics and environment. Generally if children are loved, taken care of, given reasonable structure, responsiblity, praised for doing good, forced to accept the consequences when rules are broken and are raised by consistent caring adults who model good behavior, compassion, empathy, they will turn out as good citizens. But sometimes, something is missing or I should say is added; this something is what we generally consider mental illness. These people, children or adults, can't identify with the pain or needs of others because they are missing something in their makeup. These people can be quite charming, but they have no concept of caring for anyone or anything else. I agree with the article when they distinguish between the children who have not physically harmed anyone. These children can be shown the way, but children who are constantly physically attacking others are doing so because they feel no empathy. Without empathy, the children will continue to be a danger to society.

Fred K.

4:59PM PST on Feb 23, 2012

Didn't Pete Townshend cover this with a couple songs and a rock opera? 'Teenage Wasteland', 'Doctor Jimmy', and 'Quadrophenia'? When will something new come up?

John M.

3:19PM PST on Feb 23, 2012

What happens is that all the not so bad and somewhat lost who have parents who set the wrong examples but who have consciences and are slowly learning to do the right thing get to learn from the bad and lost who have had parents that have set the wrong and ongoing without a conscience examples, dont kid yourselves there arent bad and not so bad, definately on the way carreer criminals and part time growing up potential criminals, who if mix with on the way career criminals stand a much better chance of becoming career criminals.The trouble with the juvenile and the prison systems, is that when these kids are sent into these places they arent made to work, pay rent, amenities, cook, buy their clothes, all the things they will need to be able to do if they are to survive or get by in the real world, until the justice system gets real about this your going to have a revolving door straight back there, a lot of these kids have social issues as well, and thats why the education system should have right from prep school, communication skills, expression, as the number one subject before, english , science, maths, and definately before anything else.

Tim C.

10:24AM PST on Feb 23, 2012

Bob P.

6:55AM PST on Feb 23, 2012

interesting article thanks for sharing