YOUTH IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM 3
Introduction
Biblical point of view relies on the scriptures of God. The bible is a Christian holy book that gives the moral compass for what Christians engage in, whether in action or utterances. Through modern technologies and other methods, the secularized view of the criminal justice system in America has been influenced by the biblical concept.
Gaps and Omissions
Comprehending juvenile criminal justice, according to the biblical worldview, is to understand the leading cause of crime and human iniquities. Sin is a component of a biblical worldview. All crimes are treated as a sin, but not all sins are viewed as crimes. The juvenile criminal justice system would not exist if there were no crimes (Laurence, 2012). According to sinful human nature, crime always exists; hence the juvenile criminal justice system should be established to help in curbing crime.
The literature is mainly focused on the need to have a separate criminal justice system for juveniles but does not justify the punishment that juveniles ought to receive for crimes they commit. The literature gives detailed views on the topic, but it fails to conclusively articulate what should be done to reprimand crimes committed by youth. The bible is the book of Deuteronomy chapter 16:19 “do not pervert justice or show partiality …” God is expecting impartiality those who serve distributive justice regardless of age, social status, or gender.
The biblical aim of justice is restoration, as illustrated in the stories such as Jacob and Esau. Human beings are equal in the eyes of the lord, meaning that justice has to be severed equally, although the literature focuses on separate justice for juveniles and adults. God created all human beings with equal value, but the literature seems to favor and try to treat juveniles who have committed similar crimes with adults differently. The literature does not mention that committing crimes against other people is committing a crime against God’s greatest creation.
Biblical Integration
Today youth are facing various risks of being involved in many forms of crimes that end up exposing them to the criminal justice system. Therefore, Christian adults are called upon to guide and bring significant transformation in the lives of the youth. Christians are called upon by God to exhibit unconditional love for juveniles. The church should advocate for fairness and justice for the young. Although some youth have a criminal record, the juvenile justice system’s main goal should be to rehabilitate them. These youth can learn and grow from their mistakes. For Christians to create a just society, they should always restore a convicted offender back to society so that they can be integrated well in society.
Christians are urged to care because of the almighty God’s care. Restorative justice is deeply rooted in the bible; for example, in 2nd Corinthians 5:18, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and that gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” This means that as Christians value personal responsibility for crimes committed by the youth, it is also paramount to analyze the root cause of the vices and try to focus on the healing that will finally lead to reconciliation and acceptance.
Criminal justice systems tend to treat juveniles with little regard for love; Christians should advocate for social wellbeing in society and love for the offenders. In enforcing laws on juvenile youth, having a biblical worldview means observing ethics not only because it is professionally and legally wise, but because of the law enforcers need to please God and abide by His scriptures.
References
Armour, M. (2012). “Restorative Justice: Some Facts and History.” Retrieved from
Laurence, S. (2012). CNN Opinion. “Do not put Juveniles in Jail for Life.” Available at http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/19/opinion/steinberg-juvenilecrime/index.html