The educator's role in the juvenile justice system

Juvenile justice and education are two major social systems which have an impact upon children's daily lives, yet these two systems operate far too independently of each other. The school system is in contact with children for six to eight hours per day, therefore it is logical that this same system should begin to interface with and understand the child as s/he is involved in the juvenile justice system. Points of possible contact for the educator exist throughout the juvenile justice system. If the educator has an understanding of the juvenile justice system and how it relates to the child, the educator can help the child cope with this other social system and better understand the requirements of juvenile court and probation.