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Social Support Systems Are a Vital Element in Juvenile Detention

NCJ Number
123084
Journal
Corrections Today Volume: 51 Issue: 5 Dated: (August 1989) Pages: 172,174,176
Author(s)
D Klayman
Date Published
1989
Length
3 pages
Annotation
If proper supportive and communication techniques are used, the detention environment can be a constructive place for both the juveniles and the staff.
Abstract
Incarcerated youth lose their customary social support systems, whether it involves a family or a gang. This produces stress that may occasion suicide attempts, usually within the first 24 hours of detention. The detention environment also produces stress for the staff, as they experience frustration with the bureaucracy, the system's resistance to change, and the difficulty of providing effective rehabilitation services. The essential element of a remedy for stress in a detention center is communication. The first step in alleviating staff stress is a mandatory weekly staff meeting with administrators to discuss work problems and group discussions to vent job frustrations. As for the juvenile inmates, they need more one-on-one counseling while in detention. There should be less inmate isolation and an increased use of therapeutic techniques that emphasize communication and emotional support. 3 references.