The author noted that 85% of respondents showed support for either balanced justice or
primarily rehabilitative sanctioning (Mears et al., 2014). Respondents overwhelmingly believed in
balanced justice for violent felony offenders and serious property offenders and one-third favored a
primarily rehabilitation-oriented approach for the same offenders (Mears et al., 2014). Mears attributes
this “emphasis on rehabilitation” to the approach that recognizes that retribution and deterrence might
be an unsuccessful long-term solution in reducing youth risk factors (et al., 2014). Minor property and
status offenders received 41% and 51% support for rehabilitative approaches, respectively (Mears, 2014).
Mears concluded that “contemporary views” are just as idealist as the founders of the JJS, stating, “many
of the core philosophical beliefs and tenets predicted support not only for balanced justice but also for
a primarily rehabilitation-oriented approach to sanctioning…” (Mears et al., 2014). Mears recommends
that future scholarship examine public preferences for various sanctioning methods and their
contributing factors to be compared to policymakers’ ideas of public opinion in the same categories (et
al., 2014).
Without the supportive interventions necessary to target recidivism risk factors, the JJS often
chooses to mandate maximum supervision, which youth often find problematic to comply with (Hart,
2011). This escalates delinquent behavior and negative attitudes among juveniles, instead of resolving
their difficulties or alleviating anti-social behavior (Hart, 2011).
Drug Felony
Kopak (et al.) found that alcohol use is associated with violent crime and drug use is often
related to certain drug offenses, like possession or trafficking (Accessed 2018). Using the Survey of
Youth in Residential Placement, Kopak studied the relationships, “between acute and chronic effects of
alcohol use, drug use, and offense type among juvenile offenders” (et al., Accessed 2018). Acute effects
were defined as “being under the influence of drugs or a combination of alcohol and drugs” and is most
commonly associated with commitment for drug offenses (Kopak et al., Accessed 2018). Chronic
effects, on the other hand, include the frequency in which alcohol and substances are consumed, as well
as the problems associated with drug use and are much more likely to be linked to commitment for
violent offenses like robbery, assault, or rape compared to drug offenses alone (Kopak et al., Accessed
2018). Kopak found that in 2004, the JJS spent $3.6 billion on offender’s problems associated with drug
abuse (Kopak et al., Accessed 2018). With so much money being spent solely on substance abuse issues,
Kopak argues that research should be conducted to develop more “efficient and responsive policies”
(et al., Accessed 2018).
Through the preliminary research, Kopak found that substance-driven offending is often
economically, systemically, or psychopharmacologically motivated (et al., 2014). Economic motivations
for crime (like robbery or burglary) are typically based on securing financial resources to acquire drugs,
whereas systemic crime is typically indicative of broader involvement in illicit drug markets (such as
drug dealers fighting over territory)” (Kopak et al., Accessed 2018). Kopak’s main focus, however, was
that of psychopharmacologically driven crime, which arise from the ingestion of specific substances
(Kopak et al., Accessed 2018). The effects of these substances vary widely and are correlated with
various criminal activities (Kopak et al., Accessed 2018). Marijuana is associated with nonviolent crimes
like theft and property damage and drug-related offenses such as simple possession (Kopak et al.,
Accessed 2018).
Alcohol use, on the other hand, is linked to high levels of aggression and lends itself to a
constant cycle of alcohol use and violence that can continue further into adolescence, with chronic use
being associated with increased levels of antisocial behavior, increasing the likelihood that adolescents
participate in violent offending (Kopak et al., Accessed 2018). Studies have shown that “adolescents’
frequent and heavy alcohol use significantly contributed to involvement in property and violent crime”
(Kopak et al., Accessed 2018). Using 2000-2001 data made available in 2013 by the National Archive of
Criminal Justice Data, Kopak drew a sample of 6,945 detained youth from 204 eligible residential
facilities across 36 states (et al., Accessed 2018). Kopak used interviews “conducted in an audio-
enhanced, computer-assisted, self-interview (ACASI) format” in order to maximize privacy necessary to
elicit sensitive participant information and support low-literacy needs (et al., Accessed 2018).
53