Wendy is a rambunctious and irascible 16 year old. Her parents have virtually thrown up their hands in trying to connect with her and/or provide any kind of discipline for her. There have been times when she has told her mother to 'fuck off;' she has run out of the house and stayed out all night; she narrowly escaped being arrested when she was 15, and she just seems out of control in general.
Dan and Sierra are exhausted, and don't know where to turn. They are fairly certain that the medication Wendy was on when she was younger has had permanent effects on her physical and cognitive functioning. They briefly considered a lawsuit, but after talking with friends, they gave up on that possibility. Another turning point, however, was just around the corner.
Wendy had gotten particularly interested in the opposite sex and continued to attempt to find ways to be get out of the house to meet up with friends. It was one night in April that Wendy got stuck on the idea that her parents just had to let her go to a concert with her friends. They said, 'no,' but Wendy kept pushing - they just didn't understand! The group that was playing at a local club was HUGE, and Wendy just HAD to be there. Dan and Sierra held firm, and Wendy stormed out of the house. Trying not to escalate the situation as best they could, they let Wendy know, as she was leaving, that they would call the police. She told her parents to go screw themselves.
When the police located Wendy, she was drunk and in possession of marijuana. Because she kicked the officer and scratched his face, she was placed in custody until Dan and Sierra could go get her. She was charged with possession of marijuana, resisting arrest, and assaulting an officer. This outcome was bad enough for Wendy, but, little did she know her life would be forever changed as a result of decisions she made just before she was found by police.
* What is likely to happen to Wendy now with regard to the juvenile justice system? Outline what will take place given her charges. Be specific, thorough, and comprehensive.
* In your group's opinion, should Wendy's is Wendy's behavior better dealt with as a juvenile justice issue or a mental health issue? Describe the differing outcomes given each manner of approaching Wendy's behavior.
* From a family systems standpoint, provide your best guess as to what is happening in the Marianna family at this point.
DECISION POINT ::: Does Wendy go to detention? Why or why not? What happens as a result of her charges?
1. What is likely to happen to Wendy now with regard to the juvenile justice system? Outline what will take place given her charges. Be specific, thorough, and comprehensive.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the Juvenile Corrections Act, since Wendy violated a state law she will be processed in the court system. Wendy will enter the juvenile system because she was reported by her parents; however their complaint will first go into intake. The Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice says that typically an intake officer will screen her case and determine how to handle it, that is decide whether to take informal action (community service, counseling), take no action, or to file a petition (formal processing). Since this is Wendy’s first offense, she most likely will spend from zero to thirty days in jail and/or a fine of up to five hundred dollars for drug possession (Yeargan, 2011). She may also be placed on probation in which she has to serve 24 hours of community service and her driver’s license is revoked (or permit perhaps in her case). However, because she was not only charged with drug possession, her additional charges of resisting arrest, assault, and alcohol possession may result in a more serious punishment. If the intake officer decides to file a petition against Wendy, the intake officer decides if she should be detained or released to her parents. This decision is based on Wendy’s risk to self, risk to the community, or the possibility of her fleeing. If the decision is to detain Wendy, she will be placed in a detention facility until her preliminary hearing (usually held within 72 hours) in which she will see if her case will be carried to trial (if they have enough evidence for a probable cause) or if it will be dismissed. If the case continues, it goes to the adjudicatory hearing in which there are witnesses and testimonies. If Wendy is found not guilty, the case is dismissed. If she is found guilty, a dispositional hearing is held to determine the appropriate services or fines she is responsible for. Wendy can be committed to DJJ (Department of Juvenile Justice) where she would undergo multiple evaluations at RDC. After this, Wendy could go to a private facility or a juvenile correctional center. After she completes her commitment period, she may be released or placed on parole. Once Wendy completes her parole, she may be released from the system. Overall, the outcome does not look promising for Wendy. It seems that she most likely will be found guilty and have to spend time in jail or in a detention juvenile correctional center in addition to other fines and community service conditions.
References:
Maryland Coalition of Families for Children’s Mental Health. (2006). Navigating the juvenile
justice system: A handbook for families. Maryland Coalition of Families for Children’s
Mental Health. Retrieved from
http://www.mdcoalition.org/documents/jjhandbook06.pdf
Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice. (2012). Steps in the Virginia juvenile justice system.
Virginia.gov. Retrieved from http://www.djj.virginia.gov/about_us/juvenileprocess.aspx
Yeargan, W. (2011). Possession of marijuana. Yeargan Law. Retrieved from
http://yearganlaw.com/marijuana-possession-defense-virginia.html
2. In your group's opinion, should Wendy's is Wendy's behavior better dealt with as a juvenile justice issue or a mental health issue? Describe the differing outcomes given each manner of approaching Wendy's behavior.
ReplyDeleteWe believe that Wendy’s behaviors should be treated as a mental health issue, rather than a juvenile justice issue. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement, youth in the juvenile corrections system are a high-risk population, where in many cases, have unmet physical, developmental, and mental health needs. Prevalence rates in regards to mental health in juvenile justice systems range from 50% to 100% when disruptive behavior disorders are included. These statistics suggest that the high rates of psychological and physical needs may prevent Wendy from gaining the treatment that would help her develop anger management skills and mend the relationship with her family. We believe that admitting Wendy to a juvenile justice system, where minimum needs are hardly met, would cause Wendy’s mental health issues to remain a prominent negative factor in her development. Furthermore, the stigma attached to being admitted to a juvenile justice system would most likely cause Wendy to resent any treatment for her mental health after she is released. It is also important to consider that for some youth, when mental health resources in the community are not sufficient or available, the juvenile justice system may be the placement of last resort by default. This also demonstrates that although Wendy’s behavior is getting worse, receiving help in her community would be more affective than her alternative treatment option in the juvenile justice system.
Although services are provided in the juvenile justice system, receiving mental health treatment in her community would keep Wendy from witnessing more negative behaviors from her peers in the juvenile facilities. Receiving treatment in her community would also expose Wendy to positive examples of normal teenage behavior, allow her to learn coping mechanisms when she has feelings of anger and outbursts, and receive more intimate attention from a psychiatrist with the option of family counseling.
Reference:
Committe on Adolescence. (2011, November 28). Health care for youth in the juvenile justice
system. Pediatrics. Retrieved from
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IbHiz2iXrqkkEwk1mXwGcQxnZdlE7PRVqcF1LD
GdqpA/edit
3. From a family systems standpoint, provide your best guess as to what is happening in the Marianna family at this point.
ReplyDeleteThe Marianna family is likely feeling a lack of support and stability. The lack of support and stability in the home may be affecting Wendy’s behavior because she has never had a “typical” development, and she tries to gain attention by engaging in negative behavior. Due to the possible permanent side effects of the medication taken when younger, Wendy is clearly manifesting mental health issues in the form of violent outbursts, illegal action and defiant behavior. With Wendy’s irrational behavior, the Marianna family is undergoing stress and strain, further disconnecting Wendy with the support and stability that she desperately needs. The family, especially Wendy, need assistance and therapy in order to start working toward a solution where Wendy will no longer show this irrational behavior. At this point, Wendy is spinning out of control, and her parents are out of ideas to help.
Reference:
The Bowen Center - Bowen Theory . (n.d.). Bowen Center for the Study of the Family.
Retrieved March 29, 2012, from http://www.thebowencenter.org/pages/theory.html
DECISION POINT ::: Does Wendy go to detention? Why or why not? What happens as a result of her charges?
ReplyDeleteWendy does not go to detention; instead, the court hands down a list of requirements she must follow. Wendy is ordered to complete 30 hours of community service, as well as psychiatric counseling for one hour a week, two to three times a week, for approximately 12 sessions. Wendy is also ordered to take part in at least 6 group therapy sessions. Wendy must begin the individual counseling within the next three weeks, the group counseling within the next month, and all requirements must be fulfilled in no more than 8 months from the date of sentencing. Dan and Sierra hope to accompany Wendy to one or a few of her therapy sessions; family counseling may be the best thing for the family. Dan and Sierra also want to do community service hours with Wendy in hopes of creating a more positive bond in the family.