Murphy-Harrison,+Syranda

__**Syranda Murphy : Initial Proposal**__

My Social Action Project topic is the increase of African American male teens locked up due to the poor rehabilitation system both inside the detention center and once released. I know a few things about my topic. Being an African American teen myself, I have a few friends and family members in the Juvenile Justice System. While incarcerated on the juvenile level, the goal is not to punish but to rehabilitate these adolescents. A few issues that surround my topic is that many of these teens who do time in these facilities tend to be repeated offenders. Many times these same teens who’ve committed a crime grow up and find themselves in the adult justice system by their eighteenth birthdays.

A solution to this issue would be more social rehabilitation opportunities. More programs such as group talks, sports, trade schools, and a host of other activities should be added to the already created system. Also, once the delinquents are released, a close follow up visit should be scheduled. They should be offered another form of probation such as the same programs offered while locked up. Another solution may be to offer these same teens jobs. That way, it may help to keep them occupied and not have so much free time to get into trouble. These jobs could be as simple as picking up trash in a city park or even teaching a class at the same location which they were held at. (//Syranda, how are you going to make this come about? As part of your solution you may want to put together an action plan for approaching city leaders or the probation board about making these changes. )//

The purpose of my paper is to raise awareness of a hidden problem. These teen boys are labeled as troubled as soon as they step foot in the building. Many people don’t know what goes on behind closed doors. Once these young men are released back into society, it is as if they’re wearing a sign on their necks which reads, “ I was just released from juvenile lock up.” I would like to see progression with tightening the rehabilitation portion of the system. More social workers need to be hired so that the staff inmate ratio is at least 2:1.

In order to successfully complete this paper I need a minimum of five sources. One source has to be a print source such as a book or encyclopedia. I need a minimum of four electronic materials, twp being from scholar based databases. I may also consider an interview with one of my close friends who is currently serving time at the Hillside Detention Center in Boston, MA.(//This would be a great addition to your paper and make it more personal)// Using Destiny in the Brockton High IRC, I will search for books on my topic. With the databases provided such as SIRS, I will find articles and maybe even an electronic book or print source. Once I’ve gathered all my sources, notes will start to form from them. I need a minimum of twenty five cards. Over the course of three days, I will look over all my sources and take notes are I read. More than likely I will have more than twenty five note cards with the sources I’ve came across.

__**Annotated**__ __**Working Bibliography**__
1.Ciment, James. "Juvenile Justice." //Social Issues in America an Encyclopedia//. Vol. 4. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 2006. 1006-1013. Print. With this source I viewed current laws and routines of the juvenile justice system. 2.Hyde, Margaret O. //Juvenile Justice and Injustice//. New York: F. Watts, 1983. Print.With this source I get a hands on look into the everyday routine of a juvenile in lock up. In this book I find interviews and stories from teens who were once locked up. 3."Juvenile Justice: Facts And Figures." //American Bar Association - Defending Liberty, Pursuing Justice//. Web. 02 Dec. 2010. . With this source, I gathered a few statistics on the type of crime juveniles are arrested for.

//Good start just review your solution and make sure it is something you can implement. --mrs. c//