Offenders In Prisons

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The rate of youths in prisons has been rapidly declining. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, and the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, in 1995 the number of offenders increased up to a rate of 107,637 on a single day. Since then the number of youth offenders has decreased between 37,000 to 70,792. Although the number of youth offenders has decreased, there are individuals still incarcerated facing challenges and adjusting to the new ways of living inside the prisons. It has been stated, many youth offenders are being sent to prisons for breaking the Law but not much is known about what risks they face when they are behind bars. Many individuals believe spending time in prison is easy; …show more content…
Youths in facilities receive an education which is governed by both state and federal laws. Even if they are incarcerated, youth offenders are given the opportunity to continue with their educational life. For instance, they take classes such as math, English, science, etc. Mental health services are available in facilities as well, to individuals who deal with attention problems, hallucinations, anger, anxiety, trauma, depression, and suicidal thoughts in their lives. Some symptoms can be sadness, mood changes, or even the ability to not concentrate. People facing these types of mental illnesses are treated with medication, psychotherapy, group therapy, day treatment or specific therapies. Youth offenders are also provided with Healthcare services. More than two-thirds of youth offenders have some type of healthcare need. One- third is reported that they need dental, vision, or hearing care and one-fourth are treated in injuries and illnesses. Substance abuse counseling is also one of the many services provided for youth offenders in the facilities. A substance abuse counselor not only helps people to avoid drug and alcohol problems but also helps the youth dealing with eating disorders and behavioral issues. A substance abuse counselor’s treatment is to evaluate, detoxify, treat, and support patients in a group environment or one-in-one conversation. Overall, youth offenders are not only given four services as written above but many others

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