The Ambiguity of Detained Youths: Going Beyond "Making Good Choices"

• In Event: At-Risk Youth in the Community and Juveniles in the Justice System

Abstract

Based on my ongoing qualitative study of detained youth in Hawaii, I found that youths in the juvenile justice system were offered limited narratives of “good choices” versus “bad choices” resulting in states of ambiguity. Youths saw engaging in delinquency as hurtful, evil, and morally problematic. Similarly, they saw it as an escape from negative feelings and pain. Why would wanting to live a life free from pain be intricately connected to evilness and a lack of moral worth for these youth? Is our juvenile justice system telling youths explicitly or implicitly that to be a “good person” is to suffer and sacrifice? Is that the model of a “good person” society is reinforcing for youths? I argue that if youths are offered a different narrative that looks more closely at their pain and negative feelings, that goes beyond “making good choices,” they might feel less conflicted. Wanting to live pain free and not wanting to suffer appear to be good and healthy impulses. Suffering, being in emotional and persisting pain without relief is often too much for any person to endure, yet youths seem to think that they have to live this way to please others and “be good.”

Author

• Sanna King, University of Hawaii at Manoa