Juvenile Probation Gets a Makeover
"I think the system is getting better at working with kids that need help," Burrell said. "There's a lot of research that helps us get better at what we do to help people change. We're definitely not perfect but I do think we're getting better."
The teens are still expected to be held accountable for their actions but that could mean different things for different kids. Some kids may need addiction help or mental health care. Some kids may need to get out of a bad family situation.
"At least in Fremont County we do our best not to treat every kid or family the same because they're different," Burrell said. "The last thing we want to do is stigmatize a kid for the rest of his or her life because brains change. If they did make a mistake, OK, learn from it."
If a teenager really must go to 5C in order to keep the community safe, it still is not as simple as putting him or her into a jail cell. There is counseling programs and school teachers and programs to help the teenager get better. They also do not take young children to 5C.
Although over the past few decades juvenile crime has decreased, COVID saw an increase in crimes such as fighting at school or destroying property along with addiction issues and mental health issues.
"It seems that COVID has had an impact on a lot of people, a lot of stress on young people and their families along with it being a volatile time due to politics and rights," Burrell said.
In addition to fighting and drug and alcohol abuse among teens, Burrell said they are also seeing an increase in sexual related crimes. Factors influencing this may include easier access to pornography as well as in some cases people becoming more accepting of reporting sexual assault cases.
"It's really hard to talk about some of these issues," Burrell said. "I think there's an element of recognizing when these cases happen and being more comfortable pursuing them."
Another common arrest made among youth is marijuana use. Burrell warns that despite its widespread easy availability and legalization in other states, the drug is still illegal in Idaho and having it or using it or especially dealing it comes with consequences.
A much more serious and dangerous drug becoming more and more common in America is opioids like fentanyl. Fentanyl is used as a very strong pain reliever. It is known to be stronger than morphine or even heroin. Use of the drug can result in death and many times the person using it isn't even aware of it since it can come in a powder form and some drug dealers sell it as cocaine.
In addition to pain relief, fentanyl can also make someone feel relaxed, tired, dizzy, nauseous or euphoric. However, stronger and stronger forms of the drug are being sold causing more and more overdose deaths.
"It's terrible what an exposure can do," Burrell said. "The community just needs to try and be aware and kids need to not take their lives for granted."
Parenting today throws so many more curve balls at people that didn't use to be issues. It can be difficult to keep kids safe and help them make good choices in life. Some things parents can do to help their kids or teenagers though include:
1. Being aware of their kids and their kids' lives.
2. Being able to have healthy and open discussions with kids about many topics including drugs and sex among others.
3. Picking up the phone to call for help when it is needed or when something proves too much for a parent to deal with on their own.
4. Looking at local churches or schools to help with resources.
"It's overwhelming," Burrell said. "For parents feeling that we hear you. There's people that can help. You're not alone."
Burrell said he is always open to talking with families or answering any questions about the juvenile system. He can also give them other resources as well. In addition, there are counselors and the prosecuting attorney that can answer questions and offer help when needed. The number for the Juvenile Probation Department is 208 624 1345
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