Axing the frozen sea: The necessity of establishing alternative treatment for male adolescents in the juvenile justice system

Beck, S. (2001). Axing the frozen sea: The necessity of establishing alternative treatment for male adolescents in the juvenile justice system. (Doctoral dissertation, Pacifica Graduate Institute, 2001). UMI no. 3029748

This theoretical study explores the question as to who is the male juvenile offender and how is he currently being served in juvenile detention facilities by the juvenile justice system. The current system's model that endorses punishment and behavioral control is contrasted with an alternative model suggesting alternative clinical and behavioral interventions with male adolescents. This alternative clinical approach is derived from the theories of Carl Jung and depth psychology. From the studies examined, it is suggested that the majority of male adolescents in the juvenile justice system have a history of physical, social, spiritual, and emotional deprivation. Many have experienced family disruption, abuse, and neglect. In addition, they have been exposed to excessive psychosocial stressors impacting their security, well-being, and acceptance in society. As a result, many of the male adolescents in the locked facilities of the juvenile justice system exhibit a broad range of psychological and social symptoms that require mental-health treatment and effective case management. The value of utilizing imaginal and creative therapies with male adolescents is seen to be a viable option for this population, who are at a particular stage in their development. For many of these adolescents, who lack impulse control and continue to function in self-destructive ways, the use of interventions to assist them in building an alliance between their ego and unconscious is presented as a necessary treatment focus for this population. It was Jung who promoted utilizing active imagination to assist the individual in reconciling internal opposites, transforming conflict, and reconnecting with the Self. The benefits of assisting male juvenile offenders in establishing a conscious relationship with their unconscious via active imagination, ritual, and creativity is concluded to be a necessary requirement for their potential individuation and healing.