Professional Issues

There are a number of professional issues that contribute to the reluctance to fund and develop primary prevention programs for youth before going into and after coming out of the criminal justice system.

• Training: Human services workers are often trained to focus on individual-level interventions, rather than on primary prevention. This is because individual-level interventions are seen as being more immediate and effective in addressing the problems that human services workers typically encounter. However, primary prevention programs can be equally effective, if not more so, in reducing crime and delinquency.
• Practice: Human services workers are often under pressure to produce results quickly. This can lead them to focus on programs that have immediate effects, rather than on programs that have long-term effects. Primary prevention programs can take time to have an impact, which can make them less attractive to human services workers.
• Philosophy: Some human services workers believe that it is not the government’s role to prevent crime. They believe that individuals and families are responsible for preventing crime. This philosophy can make it difficult to get funding for primary prevention programs.
• Ethics: Human services workers are ethically bound to do what is in the best interests of their clients. This can lead them to focus on programs that have been proven to be effective in reducing crime and delinquency. However, there is a lack of evidence on the effectiveness of many primary prevention programs. This makes it difficult for human services workers to justify investing in these programs.

Political Issues

There are also a number of political issues that contribute to the reluctance to fund and develop primary prevention programs for youth before going into and after coming out of the criminal justice system.

• Societal tendency to focus on crises rather than ongoing prevention/wellness: Society tends to focus on crises, such as crime, rather than on ongoing prevention/wellness. This is because crises are more visible and newsworthy. As a result, it is easier to get funding for programs that address crises than for programs that prevent them.
• Lack of public awareness about the importance of primary prevention: Many people are not aware of the importance of primary prevention in reducing crime and delinquency. This is because primary prevention programs are often less visible and less newsworthy than programs that address crises. As a result, it is difficult to get support for primary prevention programs from the public.
• Opposition from vested interests: There are a number of vested interests that oppose primary prevention programs. These interests include the private prison industry, the gun industry, and the alcohol and tobacco industries. These industries profit from crime and delinquency, so they have an incentive to oppose programs that prevent them.

Conclusion

The reluctance to fund and develop primary prevention programs for youth before going into and after coming out of the criminal justice system is due to a number of professional and political issues. These issues must be addressed in order to make primary prevention a priority.

References

• National Research Council. (2011). Primary prevention of youth violence and delinquency. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Primary prevention of youth violence. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolence/index.html

Additional Thoughts

In addition to the issues discussed above, there are a number of other factors that contribute to the reluctance to fund and develop primary prevention programs for youth before going into and after coming out of the criminal justice system. These factors include:

• Lack of evidence on the effectiveness of some primary prevention programs: There is a lack of evidence on the effectiveness of some primary prevention programs. This makes it difficult for policymakers and funders to justify investing in these programs.
• Cost of primary prevention programs: Primary prevention programs can be expensive to implement and maintain. This can make it difficult to get funding for these programs, especially in times of economic hardship.
• Complexity of primary prevention programs: Primary prevention programs are often complex and involve a variety of stakeholders. This can make it difficult to design and implement effective programs.

Despite the challenges, it is important to invest in primary prevention programs for youth. Primary prevention programs can be effective in reducing crime and delinquency, and they can save society money in the long run.