Progressive reformers believed that each criminal case should be considered separately with factors such as criminogenic environments and mental illness in consideration, resulting in the individualization of the criminal justice system (Rothman, p. 54). Punishment emphasized huge levels of judicial discretion in sentencing using indeterminate sentences, parole, and probation instead of determinant sentences and solely incarceration in order to rehabilitate the offender specific to their needs (Rothman, p. 43). According to Rothman, the primary faults of probation were overworked probation officers with little to no training. As a result of this, offenders were not being treated or rehabilitated as was intended-but merely occasionally checked
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215). Thus, the juvenile court was created to best cater to the needs of a child. Probation was essential in juvenile justice, as officers became social workers who were to supervise the child in their community and largely play a parental role (Rothman, p. 219). As previously discussed, this is problematic because of the little training and overworking of probation officers who were not qualified to essentially parent and psychologically assess a child. Training schools were full of abuses and unqualified staff who often did more harm than good due to their lack of qualifications (Rothman, p. 277) Corporal punishment became widespread and vocational training was never quite implemented in these institutions, thus failing to “treat” the child and relying on punishment (Rothman, p. …show more content…
Much like probation and juvenile justice reforms, mental institutions were gravely understaffed with people who were not qualified to assess and treat mentally ill patients (Rothman, p. 355). Patients were divided into their economic classes, with the lower classes being disproportionately present in the institutions (Rothman, p. 350). The combination of understaffing and overcrowding meant that patients were not receiving the attention they needed for rehabilitation to be successful (Rothman, p. 351). Patients who were released to the care of a social worker ran into the same issues as those released on probation. Social workers had huge case loads and were similarly unqualified as the staff in the institutions to care for the patients, thus failing the personalized aspect of the progressive reformer’s vision (Rothman, p.
215). Thus, the juvenile court was created to best cater to the needs of a child. Probation was essential in juvenile justice, as officers became social workers who were to supervise the child in their community and largely play a parental role (Rothman, p. 219). As previously discussed, this is problematic because of the little training and overworking of probation officers who were not qualified to essentially parent and psychologically assess a child. Training schools were full of abuses and unqualified staff who often did more harm than good due to their lack of qualifications (Rothman, p. 277) Corporal punishment became widespread and vocational training was never quite implemented in these institutions, thus failing to “treat” the child and relying on punishment (Rothman, p. …show more content…
Much like probation and juvenile justice reforms, mental institutions were gravely understaffed with people who were not qualified to assess and treat mentally ill patients (Rothman, p. 355). Patients were divided into their economic classes, with the lower classes being disproportionately present in the institutions (Rothman, p. 350). The combination of understaffing and overcrowding meant that patients were not receiving the attention they needed for rehabilitation to be successful (Rothman, p. 351). Patients who were released to the care of a social worker ran into the same issues as those released on probation. Social workers had huge case loads and were similarly unqualified as the staff in the institutions to care for the patients, thus failing the personalized aspect of the progressive reformer’s vision (Rothman, p.