COLLAPSE

According to the text, it is more likely to see underfunded or understaffed public defense services for children in rural areas. In these cases, youth are most likely to receive a defense from someone with a large caseload that is not getting paid very well, and will not recieve an adequate representation(Segel and Welsh, 2016). In the cases of thinly-stretched defense teams, plea bargains may be more likely to be used to shorten proceedings and make the legal process simpler. Unfortunately, this may also lead a young person in the system to enter a guilty plea for an offense they did not commit in exchange for a lesser sentence. This is common for adult offenders, but carries greater weight for a minor that may end up in a dentention system. In these circumstances, a guardian ad litem appointed by the court may be the best way to alleviate the potential for the child's placement in a faciliity that would be damaging to them. Having more than one person to advocate on their behalf is the best way to act in the best interest of the child. 

 Diversion is a term referring to a preference in the juvenile justice system that allows non-serious offenses committed by minors to be diverted out of the court system and into some type of rehabilitation(Seigel and Welsh, 2016). While this is an admirable goal, the downside to diversion is that it may be used as a type of 'middle of the road' decision to appease public opinion or outcry for better crime prevention, or to ease discomfort for personell unsure how to best handle a case involving a child. Unfortunately, this option is sometimes used when a child might have otherwise been let go with no further action(Seigel and Welsh, 2016). In my thinking, diversion is not the answer for juvenile delinquency, and should be avoided. As a former foster Mom to children from a minority group, I saw first hand the traumas inflicted on an entire family from government involvement in their lives. While most of it was unavoidable due to neglect and safety concerns, I cannot help but wonder if some other type of intervention would have suited them better. I think that the long-term traumas of well-intentioned rehabilitation mark a family for the rest of their lives. 

Cited:

Siegel, L. J., & Welsh, B.C. (2016). Juvenile delinquency: The core. Wadsworth Publishing.