Global Geographies of Juvenile Justice: Welfare vs. Punitive Models

Professor Andrea Hagan

Hey everybody, welcome back to Professor A’s Class. We're glad you’re tuning in as we continue to explore the differences in juvenile justice systems around the globe. So, today’s episode—well, we’re going big-picture. We’re discussing how other countries structure their systems to support young people in trouble with the law. You might have heard this before—there’s a significant, almost philosophical divide in the way the world views juvenile justice. On one side, you’ve got what folks call the ‘welfare’ model—think of it like the Scandinavian way, heavy on care, rehabilitation, kinda a public health take on youth offending. On the other side, there’s the ‘punitive’ model—most famously in the U.S.—which really leans into punishment and accountability for what kids do wrong. But it’s not just about policy on paper—the real kicker is that these systems are shaped by politics, culture, and, honestly, media coverage that drives how people feel about youth crime. So today, we’re gonna peel back the layers: What are these models really about? Why do they persist? And, you know, what could we learn if we stopped assuming our way is the only way? Alright, let’s dig in.

Professor Andrea Hagan

So, let’s put these two models side by side for a second. Picture Scandinavia—Norway, Sweden, Denmark—what’s their deal when a young person gets into trouble? The goal, above all, is rehabilitation. They really treat juvenile offending almost as a public health issue—focus on the psychological, social, and even economic factors that push kids towards crime in the first place. You mess up, sure, but the response is kind of like: “Well, what support do you need so you don’t do this again?” That’s in sharp contrast to the U.S., where the dominant framework is still punitive—the logic is that kids, even teens, have to be held strictly accountable. It’s all about the consequences, the punishment, the idea that making an example keeps others from acting up. Now here’s what kinda knocks me back every time I see it: The outcomes just aren’t the same. In Scandinavia, you’ve got recidivism rates—that’s re-offending after release—below 20%.

Professor Andrea Hagan

Truth is, we need to do better when it comes to our young adults. If we don't, I'm worried about what’s to come in the future for every AMERICAN CITIZEN due to the lack of reform in our current juvenile justice system. And, please believe, this vicious cycle will continue. Fact is, what happens in one place affects others in different areas. None of us are living in a bubble. When juveniles are treated in a way that seems like there is no hope for them, we all suffer as a community, country, and global citizens.

Professor Andrea Hagan

And before we move on, remember—we talked in a previous episode about how context matters, right? How do neighborhoods and resources affect youth outcomes? Well, the same goes for entire countries—their whole approach to justice comes out of their histories and beliefs about what kids need to thrive or, sometimes, to be ‘punished’. Please stick with me as we break that down.

Professor Andrea Hagan

So why are these systems so different? The roots go deep, let me tell you. In Scandinavia, there’s a strong faith in the welfare state, a notion that society as a whole must ensure everyone, including kids who mess up, gets what they need to live well. Social solidarity—it’s not just a buzzword; it’s baked into the politics, the values, everything. Compare that to the U.S. model, which—looking back through the history books—has been significantly shaped by racial conflict, the idea of using the justice system as a mechanism of social control. And you see this most obviously in places like Louisiana—honestly, it’s a bit of a case study in all the ways a punitive stance can go wrong. They’ve had some of the harshest juvenile facilities, worse outcomes, and higher recidivism. It’s a stark lesson: when the system’s designed to punish instead of support, the results—well, they speak for themselves.

Professor Andrea Hagan

And, you know, as we saw in our last episode about the school-to-prison pipeline, a lot of this is about society’s willingness—or not—to invest in different groups of young people. Those old patterns, especially racialized ones, really haven’t disappeared; they’ve just shifted in form.

Professor Andrea Hagan

Okay, let’s talk about fear—and not just who’s scared of whom, but why. In the U.S., even though youth crime rates have dropped a ton in the past few decades, news coverage and social media keep ramping up the scare factor. Like, the numbers are literally going down, but the narratives—those scary stories about “out-of-control teens”—just won’t quit. And, here’s the thing: coverage is racially skewed. Black and Brown kids end up in the headlines way more often—which we all know isn’t about who’s actually doing what, but about whose behavior we frame as dangerous.

Professor Andrea Hagan

That drumbeat of fear makes it a lot harder to win political support for any welfare-based reform, even if the numbers say it works better. It’s like, media sticks to the old script of ‘risky youth’ and voters—yeah, voters are often making decisions based more on those headlines than reality. We end up with policies that keep things punitive, not because they’re the most effective, but because they’re the most politically sellable.

Professor Andrea Hagan

Now, zooming out to the global stage, it gets a bit more complicated. Neo-liberal political ideas, which emphasize individual responsibility and less state intervention, have actually helped spread punitive policies well beyond the U.S. You see places adopting parts of that ‘tough on crime’ stance even if the local evidence doesn’t back it up. But—and here’s where it gets wild—at the same time, you’ve got international human rights bodies, like the United Nations, laying out standards for more humane, child-friendly justice systems. Lots of countries actually sign on and try to align their laws with those standards. The U.S., by the way, has never ratified some of those key treaties—they’ve just kinda, uh, sat that out.

Professor Andrea Hagan

So, there’s a significant gap between what global standards call for and what you actually see at the ground level, especially back home. It raises a question—are we shaping policy based on what works for kids, or what’s politically popular, or maybe both, but not in equal measure?

Professor Andrea Hagan

Alright, to bring it home—across all the data, all the case studies, it’s clear: the welfare model has been more effective and, honestly, more humane when it comes to juvenile justice. The punitive model persists not because it's more effective, but because of how our histories and media influence the conversation. So maybe it’s time to ask ourselves: How do we measure justice? Is it about making the numbers—like recidivism—go down? Or about who we decide is worth saving, and how? That’s all for today—thanks for thinking it through with me. We’ll keep peeling back all these layers next time. Until then, keep learning, keep questioning. Blessings!