This is a link to an article that supports my opinion on teen boot camp and teen therapy.
-Catherine
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Disadvantaged Teens: We're Only Making It Worse
According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, to marginalize is "to relegate to an unimportant or powerless position within a society or group." This definition can be related to groups that do not belong in the dominant culture, for example; children in foster care, juvenile homes and boot camps. In America, we have a big problem with marginalizing teens; providing them with less access to educational opportunities and proper support. Adolescent teen years are a crucial time for emotional and physical development.By neglecting these teens just because they fit into the “marginalized” group, we are hindering their progress, and possibly affecting them for the rest of their lives. This can therefore create a spiraling effect. The marginalized teens are not getting the proper support and stimulus to achieve emotional maturity, therefore making mistakes or engaging in crime. As a result of the decreased knowledge and role model support, these teens are landing in juvenile delinquent halls and group homes. In order to stop this spiraling process, more needs to be done at the start of the problem; by focusing on their education. By providing these teens with proper education, we can equip them with the knowledge they need, and perhaps keep them from getting into trouble. The second strategy is along the lines of the justice system for these teens. Juvenile detention centers and group homes are doing nothing but supporting violent behavior and underdeveloped morals. We are placing these troubled teens in the presence of other troubled teens. How is this helping rehabilitate them? I know if I were placed in a hostile environment where people not only didn’t care about me but also wanted to hurt me, my disposition would change drastically. I wouldn’t be “rehabilitated,” only forced by my surroundings to digress into more confusion about right from wrong.
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Catherine, I think you bring up some great points in your post. I agree with you on the need to focus more on education for "troubled" teens. I went to a high school where there were a lot of fights and we always had at least one police officer on duty. A lot of the students who got in trouble for violent behavior were sent to an alternative school that was supposed to help them get on track, but every person I ever knew of that went there never seemed to get better. Instead, they seemed to get worse, and they continued to have problems.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what went on at that school, but maybe there is something about placing a group of "troubled" or marginalized teens together that isn't helpful for them. If they think they are there to get "fixed," they may just give up trying because it seems hopeless from there.
Maybe I'm just speculating, but your post definitely made me think about some of the people I used to know who may have experienced some of the hopless thoughts that Miguel did in this book.