Juvenile Boot Camp as punishement for delinquent juveniles, good or bad idea?

I'm 19.

speaking as someone who has been bashed in the street and robbed by these people several times, i think it's a great idea.

We're not talking about high-school drop outs or grafiti artists here; we're talking about children, 15-18 years old, who rob people, break into houses, steal cars, stab people, smoke meth, take speed and have little if any connection to a family.

there are a surprising number of these children out there and i think we owe it to them as well as society to set them strait.

otherwise they'll end up in gaol, which means they're likely to spend most of their life there for re-offending, and also be out on the streets causing grief and violence to the rest of us.

of course everything needs to be taken on a case by case basis but i think it's important we look at this as an alternative to parole. juviniles are treated far to softly in the courts. a friend of mine was stabbed for his wallet by a 16 year old boy. my friend had to have surgery and now can't leave the house because he's got post traumatic stress, and the 16 year old kid got 2 months in juvi. fair? i don't think so.

I'm seventeen. It depends on the person and the situation. Depending on what they're doing that is considered delinquency, it can be a good and bad idea. If it's a last resort for someone who is truly out of control and has outrageous bad behavior and they refuse to cooperate or do things they absolutely need to do and continue to resist against parents (this doesn't mean just going against parents' wishes, of course), then sending them to boot camp could be a positive way to put their life on a good track so they will be able to grow up successfully and become a decent person. If it's a punishment that parents want to give because it's the harshest they can come up with and really wouldn't solve any problems and would just make their child hate them for sending them away to a horrible place, then it would be a terrible decision.

I really dislike the term "Juvenile Delinquent". It has such negative connotations and just doesn't sit right with me.

Personally i think that they are a wrong idea.Boot camp would create a bigger gulf between the old and young thus creating more problems for society.

I would invest more money at a grass roots level,offering activities that young people want-not what we think they want.

The whole structure of youthwork,youth offending,education system needs to be looked at in consultation with young people.

More emphasis on restorative justice/community service/different ways of learning,more alternative to curriculum courses.

I currently run a programme for young people who are at risk of being excluded from school for non attending.School isn't for them-they're not necessarily bad kids,school and the way that they are taught is not for them.

I previously worked for the youth offending service so have first hand experience that the system is not working the way it was designed to. It needs to be revamped. Re offending rates for those currently in YOI's is quite shocking,so to have someone bellowing orders at you/bullying you wouldn't work,imo.

I'm 36 btw.

I'm 57, raised two kids, I'm ex USAF. I don't think it would be good for kids under 14 or 15. Those kids need the love of their parents, I really believe that. Older than 15, especially girls, then they need a very strong direction. They will just try to be cool with the 'cool' guys at school, then wind up being known as the whore. I never let my daughter go through that, and she still loves me at my age. Think about it, quit watching tv, and really think about it, 30 or 40 years later. Ron Couch

22. Its a good idea cuz most juveniles are bad because of lack of parental disciplin. the boot camp will help them grow up.

I'm 18.

I consider it a terrible idea in any case. There is no excuse for failing to raise your child yourself and treat any issues that may arise rather than dumping them off on someone else who in all likelihood is less qualified than you are to deal with your child.