IndexJuvenile Delinquency in Criminal JusticeIntroductionBackground to the ProblemRecommendationsSummaryJuvenile Delinquency in Criminal JusticeIntroductionThe United States has one of the best criminal justice systems in the world, but it is not immune to contemporary issues. The issue addressed in this article is the high rate of juvenile delinquency. Juvenile delinquency refers to an individual's involvement in a crime before he or she reaches the age of majority. The most common crimes include gun possession, theft, incitement or even murder. While minors are well protected by law, the way they are handled by affiliated institutions, such as the police department, courts, prisons, and probation office, has jargon. Finding the best way to turn useful individuals into minor criminals is a difficult task that requires in-depth investigations and conversations to develop evidence-based recommendations. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay In a population report released by the U.S. Department of Commerce in 2006, approximately 70 million kids are age 18 or younger, that's 25% of the American population as a whole. The number is expected to increase by 10 million in 2020. The child population offers a clear picture of the issues affecting them and in particular those who are at risk of falling into the juvenile justice system. The Federal Bureau of Investigation contributed to the issue by reporting that 1.5 million youth under the age of 18 are put behind bars for both minor and serious crimes. To make the situation even worse, more than 700,000 young people are part of various street gangs. Research indicates that greater numbers are susceptible to other risky behaviors such as drunk driving, carrying weapons, attempted suicide, and greater numbers have or are still engaging in sexual intercourse. Context of the Problem Whenever a minor is involved in a criminal act, the controversial road to justice begins immediately. The handling of such an individual after arrest raises concerns among law enforcement, the judiciary and children's rights activists. The child is considered innocent until a court convicts or acquits him. The entire process faces endless controversy. Similarly, juvenile correctional facilities have been criticized as some children reportedly left the system in worse condition than they initially entered. In juvenile delinquency, there are several problems, according to the report on juvenile delinquents and victims by Sickmund & Puzzanchera, (2014), which need serious discussion; police discretion, state of custody, trial and correction. In previous discussions the term “delinquent child” was used rather than criminal. Children can no longer be “sentenced,” but must be subject to a “disposition,” and the purpose of juvenile correctional systems is not necessarily to punish, rather to rehabilitate and restore. Police discretion; When a law officer confronts a juvenile delinquent, the officer is tasked with deciding whether to arrest the delinquent or let him go with a warning. Before arrest, the officer may decide to help the offender as most of them commit crimes due to lack of parental control and care. Making that decision is entirely up to the officer on site. Many issues that concern young people never come upcarried out until the child is detained or incarcerated. Custody status; if and after the arrest of the minor, the state of the police cells constitutes another obstacle, bearing in mind that the arrested person is a minor. Finding a juvenile detention center suitable for a minor is almost impossible. This in turn raises concerns among children's rights activists. The harsh conditions and overcrowding of these facilities are a major concern. The minor may even become a victim of many more crimes to adapt to these poor conditions in prison cells. Some minors have attempted suicide and have psychiatric problems. Every year, juvenile delinquents pass through detention facilities awaiting legal action. It has also been reported that young people who have been through the system are more likely to use drugs than those who have never been in the system.Evidence; a minor suspected of a crime has numerous rights just like an adult. The minor has the right to a private or public lawyer appointed by the court, the right to warning, the right to confrontation and cross-examination of witnesses, and also the freedom against self-implication. Before 1967, it was believed that children did not need these rights and the court had the right to make decisions in the best interests of children without taking these rights into account. Correction; Detention of the minor after trial, once his guilt has been established, raises the question of the type of correction, duration and possibilities of parole. The overall outcome after correction becomes a matter of concern as they must exit these correctional facilities as people who can later lead meaningful and respectful lives. Juveniles who pass through these facilities have been reported to return to the community as major criminals after serving their sentences. Addressing the question of the type of reforms in structures is a controversial issue that requires much thought. Conditions in facilities can also lead to a high rate of suicidal minors and psychologically disturbed children. Cases of such eventualities have been reported in the recent past and are still as rampant as before. We therefore need to find a solution and do it as soon as possible. Recommendations The police officer may decide to involve social services to help the minor. The state should also intervene and assert control and supervision of juveniles before they commit more serious crimes. Causes of criminal behavior include poverty, drugs, neglect and abuse, gang involvement, and truancy. Before the act can occur, a police officer may take it upon himself to identify the cause of the criminal act in an attempt to help the minor. Understanding the cause can be very helpful in preventing delinquency and establishing responsibility for the child. McCluskey and JD (2014) agree that police discretion is important in providing assistance to the public, which in this case includes juveniles. With society ever changing, higher crime rates are being reported and therefore a solution needs to be found quickly. The first step is to involve officer discretion during an arrest. To resolve or perhaps help the state of custody should begin before the minors even get there. Crime prevention should first be addressed to reduce the number of children arrested and held in these detention facilities. Vries et al (2015) agree with the suggestion that the State needs to develop alternatives to the detention of these children. It will then be possible to implement the concept of minimizing the use ofsecure detention facilities. However, this does not mean completely eliminating these structures but finding alternatives for those minors who do not necessarily require detention and do not pose a danger to themselves or the community. A good example is the “approved schools” used in Kenya for minors who do not require detention. They are a form of reformatory for juvenile delinquents. Nowadays, the issue of the trial of minors is approached with caution to avoid abusing some minors' rights. When it comes to children, the system is sometimes a victim of discrimination as it considers them to be less partisan and therefore decisions are made ignoring the child and without consultation. The flow of cases in the system should be reformed to speed up the process, reduce length of stay in custody and ensure timely and appropriate interventions as suggested by Bateman, T. & Nocciola (2014). To achieve this goal, the court must provide leadership and collaborate with the juvenile's probation, prosecution, and defense team. The entire system must advocate for the child and act in their best interests rather than focusing on the number of successful cases in their files. The court can provide leadership by directing the prosecutor to simultaneously send plea offers into evidence to public defenders. This can speed up the minor's process. Youth awaiting placement and probation violators should also not spend too much time in detention facilities. The prosecution and defense should agree on the quickest way to handle such trials. The court should also intervene for minor offenders since they are solely responsible for determining detention. Cases such as truancy, alcohol possession, vandalism, shoplifting and curfew violations should not result in detention in secure facilities, rather alternatives such as house arrest, increased supervision, electronic monitoring and placement should be considered (Payne- James, Beynon & Vieira, 2017). Juvenile cases have often become a problem because the parties involved do not consider minors on trial as equals. Therefore, process reform must come from the court that is supreme in this process and flow down to the parties involved. A structure should also be established to evaluate and develop a plan to change policies governing juvenile corrections. The system should also be evaluated and a diagnosis of system problems provided. Sankofa et. al (2017) insisted that the impact of the type of reforms offered in correctional facilities should also be highlighted. Improving the conditions in which minors are confined is essential. A routine inspection by professionals who will apply all protocols and standards is therefore recommended. Without perseverance in these routines, conditions in correctional facilities continue to worsen. Systems that help correct the minor rather than punish him should be highlighted. Penitentiary facilities should have schools that give minors continuity in their lives outside the facility. The risk of these minors entering the community without some form of routine jeopardizes their chances of integration after release and they are therefore once again vulnerable to the world of crime. The American Correctional Association has developed principles for juvenile facilities that examine the physical, clinical, educational, and occupational essence of the facility (Pearler, Terry & Adams, 2017). Persistent adherence to these standards is therefore critical to ensuring that children in these facilities are molded and reformed into good citizens. When.