Question

According to your text, one of the most common forms of diversion is being ordered to do Community Service. Should we require juveniles to do Community Service? If not why not? What kind of Community Service should they do?

Answer 1

Compelling juveniles to do community service so as to make them responsible and ethical is just a forced punishment, in my views. The juveniles convicted for crimes, have a set temperament. The society as well as the courts cannot change their mindset by simply making them conduct community service. Such juveniles need to be counseled and their orientation needs to be refreshed. Counseling will help them in understanding ethics and morality and to differentiate between right and wrong. This will make them emerge as responsible citizens of society. I am against making juveniles conduct community service. In my views, if the juvenile is volunteering for some service, then he must be allowed for the same, otherwise the overall act becomes just a sham. We need to cleanse the minds of such juveniles and re-align them with ethics and morality. This will be more helpful for such individuals.