Lisa A Hill

Keeping Kids in the Home and out of the System Lisa A Hill

Studieshaveconsistentlyconcludedthatmanypersonalitydisordersandmoreseriousmentaldisordersarebelievedtobethe resultof dysfunctionalfamilyrelationships, andvery oftenstemfromtheparent-childrelationship. Thismakessense, childreninitially learnimportantbehaviorsfromtheirfamiliesoforigin. Forexample, parentsarethefirstonestosocialize theirchildsotheycanteachtheirchildrensocialize andtosaypleaseandthankyou, taketurns, be patientetc. Theprimarypurposeofthisbookisto assurethatparentshavetheinformationtheyneed toproperlyraisechildrenwhohavetheskillsnecessary tobesuccessfuladultsandnotendupintheCriminal JusticeSystem. Bythetimeyouthendupinthe juvenilejusticesystem, itmaybetoolate. Theybecomelabelledanoffenderormaybeevenapredator. That labelgivessocietytherighttolocktheyouthup duringwhichtimetheywillbetraumatized. Sometimeswell-meaning, uninformed, andfrustratedparents perpetuatetheirchildrenenteringthecriminaljustice systemandevenofchildservingagenciessuchas socialservices. Whenparentsarefacedwithchildren whoareincorrigible, at-risk, ortheparentisunabletocareforthechilddue totheirownpersonalproblems, someparentswill welcometheinterventionofthecriminaljusticesystem forsupport. Aftertheirchildhasbeentakenintocustody, Ihavehadparentstellme, youraisemychildbecauseI cannotdoit. Someparentsbelievethathavingaccess toaprobationofficerwithabadgeandpowersofarrest, givesthemthereliefandrespitetheyneededtoaddress theirchildsdestructivebehavior. Mythreedecadesof experienceworkingwithyouthandparentsinthe criminaljusticerevealedthat, inmostcases, probationandsocialservicesinterventiondonotmakeyouthbetter. Converselyformostyouth, theirexperiencewith socialservicesandprobationdepartmentshas resultedinongoingdelinquencyandtheyouth transitioningintotheadultCriminalJusticeSystem. However, goodparentingisthegatekeepertothe criminalj