Is Alternative Sentencing More Beneficial Than Incarceration: A Focus On Juveniles

Abstract

This thesis seeks to explain the importance of alternative sentencing for juvenile delinquents. It discusses the risk factors which contribute to the reasoning behind why juveniles commit crime. The process which a juvenile goes through in the court system and the differences between traditional sentencing and non-traditional sentencing is explained. Different types of alternative sanctions are described as well as the benefits of them. Juvenile justice and the use of alternative sentencing in various countries are discussed and compared to those of the United States. This thesis has been developed to discuss and explain the benefits of alternative sentencing and the lasting effects prison has on juveniles.