Mental Health and Juvenile Justice

Catalog description

For more than 650,000 youth in America, arrest, detention and incarceration are realities of life - not just once, but repeatedly. Nearly 70% of justice-involved youth suffer from mental illness, yet policy regulations rob these young people of their access to education and necessary mental health care and often set them into a cycle of life behind bars. This class tells the holistic story behind the faces of youth involved in the juvenile justice system. What factors predict their involvement in criminal activity and/or contact with the system? Why are Black and Latine youth disproportionately represented in this population? Why do these children suffer such high rates of mental illness? What can be done in the interest of public health and safety to live up to the promise of justice? We examine these questions from a multitude of perspectives to fully understand how the system works, how it doesn’t, and what can be done to change it. This is an exciting course for anyone considering a career in policy, law, sociology, or mental health.