Juvenile Delinquency
Content
Juvenile Delinquency Prevention
The most effective way to prevent juvenile delinquency has indisputably been to assist children and their families early on. Numerous state programs attempt early intervention, and federal funding for community initiatives has allowed independent groups to tackle the problem in new ways. The most effective programs share the following key components: LawyerShop can help you find a criminal law attorney in your area today.
Education
Model programs have assisted families and children by providing them with information. Some programs inform parents on how to raise healthy children; some teach children about the effects of drugs, gangs, sex, and weapons; and others aim to express to youth the innate worth they and all others have. All of these programs provide youths with the awareness that their actions have consequences. This is particularly important in an era where youth are barraged with sexual and violent images. Educational programs have the underlying intent of encouraging hope and opening up opportunities for young people.
Recreation
One of the immediate benefits of recreational activities is that they fill unsupervised after-school hours. The Department of Education has reported that youths are most likely to commit crimes between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., with crime rates peaking at 3 p.m. Recreation programs allow youths to connect with other adults and children in the community. Such positive friendships may assist children in later years. Youth programs are designed to fit the personalities and skills of different children and may include sports, dancing, music, rock climbing, drama, karate, bowling, art, and other activities.
Community Involvement
Girl scouts, boy scouts, church youth groups, and volunteer groups all involve youth within a community. Involvement in community groups provide youth with an opportunity to interact in a safe social environment.
Prenatal and Infancy Home Visitation by Nurses
Nurses involved in the "Prenatal and Infancy Home Visitation by Nurses" program pay visits to low income, single mothers between their third trimester and the second year of their child's life. During these visits, nurses focus on the health of the mother and child, the support relationships in the mother's life, and the enrollment of the mother and child in Health and Human Services programs. A 15-year follow-up study found that mothers and children involved in the program had a 79 percent lower child abuse rate, a 56 percent lower child runaway rate, and a 56 percent lower child arrest rate. Maternal behavior problems also dropped significantly in the studied group.
Parent-Child Interaction Training Program
The "Parent-Child Integration Training Program" takes parents and children approximately 12 weeks to complete. It is designed to teach parenting skills to parents of children ages two to
seven who exhibit major behavioral problems. The program places parents and children in interactive situations. A therapist guides the parents, educating them on how best to respond to their child's behavior, whether positive or negative. The program has been shown to reduce hyperactivity, attention deficit, aggression, and anxious behavior in children.
Bullying Prevention Program
The Bullying Prevention Program is put into place in elementary and junior high school settings. An anonymous student questionnaire fills teachers and administrators in as to who is doing the bullying, which kids are most frequently victimized, and where bullying occurs on campus. Once teachers and administrators have learned about how and where bullying occurs at their school, they set up class rules and facilitate discussions that address the problem. Individual bullies and victims receive independent counseling. The program succeeds in creating a safer, less hostile environment for students at minimal cost.
Prevention Programs within the Juvenile Justice System
A youth entering the Juvenile Justice System has the opportunity to receive intervention assistance from the state. In the care of the state, a youth may receive drug rehabilitation assistance, counseling, and educational opportunities. The success of the Juvenile Justice System is measured by how well it prepares youth to re-enter the community without committing further crimes. Optimally, all juvenile detention facilities would catch youths up on their education, provide them with job training, give them the experience of living in a safe, stable environment, and provide them with assistance to break harmful habits.
The Nebraska Correctional Youth Facility
The Nebraska Correctional Youth Facility (NCYF) is an example of a successful juvenile detention facility that gears its programs toward restoring delinquent youth. The facility holds young adult violent offenders and juvenile delinquents who have been tried in adult court for committing violent crimes. The youngest inmates are 15 and the oldest are 21. NCYF is a "maximum security institution" that was designed to separate young violent offenders from adult offenders, and to assist young inmates by providing them with the help they need to change their behavior. All inmates are required to participate in the educational opportunities provided by the facility. They are required to meet standards that are set forth by the prison on a person-by-person basis. Each inmate has the opportunity to earn a GED and to take community college level courses. The parents of inmates may follow their child's progress through communication with staff. While at NCYF, inmates are given the opportunity to work as teacher assistants, gardeners, recreational leaders, and kitchen staff. The facility's recreation program also provides an array of activities, from basketball leagues to ping-pong tournaments. An annual 10k is held, in which the inmates race with staff members. NCYF monitors the health of its occupants, in part, by providing drug rehabilitation counseling and by performing weekly drug tests. A program unique to NCYF is "Project HEART." Prisoners who have met specified behavioral and educational requirements may train a pet dog. The dogs, deemed unfit for adoption because of behavioral problems, are given a home in the prison yard. A qualified inmate may be given a dog to take care of for a period of time. He (NCYF only holds male inmates) may bring the dog with him to his classes and activities. He is ultimately responsible for teaching the dog. After a period of training, the dogs receive "Good Canine Citizen Awards" and are set up for adoption through the
Nebraska Humane Society. Inmates whose dogs are placed with a family, are given the opportunity to talk to the family, via phone, and give them tips on how the dog has been trained. As a measure of the success it has experienced in rehabilitating violent offenders, NCYF received a 99.7 percent initial accreditation in August of 2000 from the American Correctional Association (ACA), formerly the National Prison Association.
Ending Repeat Offenses
Once out of detention, youths face the challenge of readjusting to "free" life. For many, youth detainment places a halt in a pattern of destructive behavior. Once out of prison, the youth must create a pattern of life separate from criminal activity. To assist in this process, courts have attempted to implement helpful social services for former inmates and their families. Some of these are job placement, school follow-up, extended counseling, and extended drug rehab. The Functional Family Therapy (FFT) program assists youth on parole by helping them and their families communicate in more effective, positive ways.
Functional Family Therapy (FFT)
The Functional Family Therapy program helps adolescents on probation - and their families. A family therapist works with the family and helps individual family members see how they can positively motivate change in their home. The program works in three phases. During the first phase, the therapist attempts to break down resistance to therapy and encourages the family to believe that negative communication and interaction patterns can be changed. In the second phase, family members are taught new ways to approach day-to-day situations; they are shown how to change their behaviors and responses to situations. During the third phase, family members are encouraged to move new relational skills into other social situations (school, or the workplace, for instance). FFT reduces recidivism rates and juvenile delinquency at a low cost. Twelve FFT sessions cost approximately one-sixth the cost of detaining a youth for one month. Another positive effect of the program is that the siblings of the youth on parole are less likely to commit crimes because of the help their family has received.
Ineffective Prevention Strategies
Scare Tactics
Currently, Americans are steering away from this tactic, as it has proven rather ineffective, but during the 1990s it was a technique that politicians and the greater community put much confidence in. Slogans such as "get tough on crime" and "adult time for adult crime" spoke to the common-sense core of many people who worried about rising juvenile crime rates. The basic ideology centered on the idea that crime rates were high because youth were not afraid of facing juvenile detention. General opinion held that the system had become too soft; the threat of confinement was not deterring youth from criminal activity. Several major shifts occurred during this time:
Juvenile courts gave increased jurisdiction to adult, criminal courts. Courts authorized easier transfers of juveniles into the adult criminal court and, in some states, waived their authority over specified crimes.
Youths were sent to adult prisons in increased numbers. Younger offenders were sent to adult prisons as states tightened their definition of who was a child, and more court decisions placed youth in adult confinement. Youths were issued longer prison sentences in the adult system than they would have been given in the juvenile justice system. Most of those sentenced, however, were not required to serve the full length of their prison terms. The harsher penalties that came with the era of hard-time scare tactics were intended to lower crime rates and to express to youth that crime would not be tolerated. These penalties, however, did not achieve their intended effects. The approach was grounded in the idea that youth could be managed through fear. But fear was not a forceful impetus to motivate youth toward positive behavior. No direct correlation was witnessed between harsher sentencing and fewer first-time arrests, and youth that had been placed in the adult system actually had a higher recidivism rate than similar juveniles placed in juvenile detention facilities.
"Juvenile Boot Camp" and "Scared Straight"
In the years that "get tough on crime" policies were being established, various new programs were also attempted. One such program, Juvenile Boot Camp, received high publicity but had little success. "At risk" youth were placed into intense, structured, severe environments that were modeled after military boot camps. The Juvenile Boot Camps were intended to teach youth about structure and discipline but their success rates, which were measured based on their ability to prevent kids from committing future crimes, were low. For some youth, the programs were actually counter-productive. Another program, "Scared Straight," brought parole/probation youth into interactions with adult prisoners through meetings or short-term incarcerations. The program was designed to make young offenders frightened of the violent adult prison system. According to the Surgeon General at the time, the program was not effective. Share|
Delinquency A Handout for Parents and Teachers
by Judy Johnson University of Northern Colorado Background
Generally, the term delinquency refers to any illegal act committed by a juvenile (someone below the legal age of adulthood, which varies from state to state). A youth can be considered delinquent for breaking any federal, state, or local criminal laws. In addition, they can considered delinquent for committing status offenses, which are behaviors that are not considered crimes for adults (truancy, running away, drinking alcohol, etc.). Juvenile delinquency impacts us all through costs of the juvenile justice system, rehabilitation and property damages, as well as the human suffering of crime victims. The contribution of youth to the crime problem varies depending on the crime. In 1994, juveniles were responsible for:
10% of murders 14% of forcible rapes 20% of robberies
21% of burglaries 25% of larceny-thefts 48% of arsons
There was a 50% increase from 1988 to 1994 in the number of juveniles arrested for violent crime. Although juvenile crime has been traditionally considered a male problem, there was an increase in the percentage of females arrested in most offense categories. Since these are only the juveniles that have been arrested, the juvenile crime rate is higher than these figures, but to what degree is uncertain.
Development and Causes
There are a variety of theories regarding the development of delinquent behaviors. However, it is a complex social behavior that usually cannot be attributed to any one causal factor. There is no compelling evidence that race, social or economic factors are strongly related to delinquency. Loeber (1990) identified three paths leading to delinquent and antisocial behavior. The first path, an "aggressive versatile path," begins in the preschool years and involves, in addition to hyperactivity, a variety of aggressive and nonaggressive conduct problems. The next path is a "nonaggressive path" which begins in late childhood or early adolescence and usually involves nonaggressive conduct problems (theft, truancy, substance abuse, lying) that are often committed with peers. The final path is an "exclusive substance abuse path" that begins in early to middle adolescence and with little history of other conduct problems. One of the strongest predictors of delinquency and antisocial behavior during adolescence is aggression; it signals criminal behavior in adulthood. In addition, a number of studies have found a relationship between family variables and delinquency. These include low levels of warmth and supportiveness, as well as high rates of marital and family discord. Some research has shown that families of female delinquents may be even more dysfunctional than those of male delinquents. Other factors include ineffective and lax parental discipline and parents' involvement in criminal activities. Peer involvement is also related to delinquent activity. A high percentage of delinquent behavior is carried out with peers and such behavior provides continued support and acceptance.
What Can I Do as a Parent?
In treating delinquency, individual and family counseling should be considered. Prevention of delinquent behaviors in youth is the most effective role for parents and teachers. Keep in mind the following:
A nurturing and supportive relationship, as well as a balanced and consistent
system of discipline, is beneficial for your child. Parental support groups are often available to help you deal with the difficult behaviors of your child and to learn additional parenting strategies. Identify and address any negative family patterns (alcoholism, grief, domestic violence, abuse) through professional counseling. Communicate with teachers and school staff to see if your child is attending school and how he/she is doing academically.
What Can I Do as a Teacher?
Teach appropriate social, problem-solving and coping skills. Peer groups focused in this area have been shown to be effective. Give recognition for positive behavior, activities and accomplishments. Keep open communication with the family and other agencies the child is involved in (i.e. probation, mental health). Encourage involvement with positive adult role models (such as Partners or a Big Brother program). Work to insure that the student experiences success both educationally and, when possible, vocationally. Provide as many experiences as possible for the student to bond to the school and positive peers.
Reference
Loeber, R. (1990). Development and risk factors of juvenile antisocial behavior and delinquency. Clinical Psychology Review, 10, 1-41.
Resources
Baker, F. (1991). Saving our kids from delinquency, drugs, and despair. New York: Harper-Collins. Jenson, W. R., Rhode, G., Reavis, H. K., & Neville, M. (1994). Why me? Practical parenting techniques for tough childhood problems. Longmont, CO: Sopris West. McCarney, S. B., Wunderlich, K. C., Bauer, A. M. (1993). The pre-referral intervention manual. Columbia, MO: Hawthorne Educational Services. Rhode, G., Jenson, W. R., & Reavis, H. K. (1993). The tough kid book.Longmont, CO: Sopris West. Witt, P. A., & Crompton, J. L. (1996). Recreation programs that work for at-risk youth: The challenge of shaping the future. State College, PA: Venture Publishing. © 1998 National Association of School Psychologists, 4340 East West Highway, Suite 402, Bethesda MD 20814 phone 301-657-0270.
How to Influence a Juvenile Delinquent's Life
By Mark Fitzpatrick, eHow Contributor
updated April 23, 2011
Print this article
Illegal or addicted drug use is one sign of juvenile delinquency.
Juvenile delinquency is broadly defined by extreme violence or anti-social behavior by adolescents and young adults. The social implications of juvenile delinquency have become such a concern that the United Nations have declared juvenile delinquency as a worldwide problem. Juvenile delinquents tend to have little regard for authority, and they can increase crime rates in neighborhoods and cities. Elected officials, teachers, religious leaders, parents and other concerned parties should take drastic action to attempt to reach juvenile delinquents before their lifestyles destroy their lives.
Difficulty:
Challenging
Instructions
1.
o
1
Provide community resources and supports. Projects such as public parks, city-wide recreational activities, neighborhood watches, and responsive law enforcement can help strengthen communities and minimize delinquency.
o
2
Provide support to parents of juvenile delinquents. Parents play an influential role in children's and adolescents' lives. If parents are available but do not know how to communicate or help their children, local organizations and government officials should try to help parents reach their children as part of a coordinated effort to curb juvenile delinquency. Teachers and social workers should work with parents to help them develop positive approaches to communicating with their children, provide their children with supportive environments and give them appropriate levels of supervision and structure.
o
3
Provide interventions for youths living in dysfunctional settings. Abusive homes, homelessness and excessive amounts of unsupervised time all contribute to juvenile delinquency. Providing young people who are experiencing these difficulties with supportive services or, in some cases, removing them from the situation has the potential to both improve their outcomes and reduce delinquency.
o
4
Sentence juvenile delinquent's to more socialization treatments. A socialization treatment is a focus toward rehabilitation and emotional health for the adolescent. This is a key mission to solve juvenile delinquency, especially since every state in the United States allows the imprisonment of a juvenile in an adult prison depending on the crime. A startling study by the Department of Justice found that on one single day, June 30th 1994, 250 juveniles from the ages of 13 to 15 were imprisoned in adult prisons. Neither of these sentences tend to help solve the emotional, social, or psychological problems an adolescent may be facing. Instead, focusing on better emotional, social, or psychological treatments for delinquents can help the adolescent better associate with members of society.
o
5
Invest heavily in social education programs for juvenile delinquents. Teaching juvenile delinquents about alternatives to negative behaviors--such as committing crimes and joining gangs--can equip them with the tools they need to make better choices and improve their outcomes.
o
6
Provide opportunities to prepare for future success. Many juvenile delinquents have few prospects for a successful future. Job training workshops, access to supplemental educational opportunities, and professional training may help juvenile delinquents envision a successful future for themselves.
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Read more: How to Influence a Juvenile Delinquent's Life | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_8283943_influence-juvenile-delinquentslife.html#ixzz1T075Wqjw
How to Help Your Juvenile Delinquent
By an eHow Contributor
Print this article
Juvenile delinquents need parents who are loving, yet hold them responsible for their actions. Getting your child into counseling is the best way to deal with the problem.
Difficulty:
Moderate
Instructions
1.
o
1
Look at your child's situation closely for signs of substance abuse. If you see any, get your child to a program or counselor who specializes in these problems.
o
2
Consider your family. Are there a lot of fights? Is there violence? Are you considering divorce? Any of these problems may impact your child. If you believe any of these is an issue, take your child to a counselor.
o
3
Work closely with the school. Teachers and school counselors may have a good idea about your child's attitude, social group and behavior problems. Ask the school for information and advice. Be cooperative and try not to offer excuses. Take their suggestions.
o
4
Get a lawyer. If your child has been charged as a juvenile delinquent, hire an attorney to represent him or her in court.
o
5
Talk to police, probation officers or juvenile officers who are involved in your child's case. Be friendly and cooperative. Find out what they see as the problem and ask for advice.
o
6
Find a good counselor. If your child is involved in juvenile offenses, you need to get help as soon as possible. No matter what the root of the problem, counseling can probably help you understand it even if it can't help you solve it.
o
7
Listen to your child. Pay attention to what he or she says and how he or she acts. Try to have a conversation where you don't accuse the child or reprimand the child. Talk about the problems and ask what you can do to help.
o
8
Express your love for your child in your words and your actions. Make sure he or she understands that you will always love him or her even if you don't approve of specific things.
o
9
Think about all of your options. Maybe your child would make some changes if he or she had stricter rules. Maybe living somewhere other than at home would help. Perhaps consequences for his or her actions are what is needed.
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Tips & Warnings
Try not to excuse your child's criminal actions. This is a serious problem and needs to be treated as such. Understand that one possible result from court intervention is that your child can be removed from your home and placed in foster care or a juvenile facility. Obtain legal assistance to protect your family.
Read more: How to Help Your Juvenile Delinquent | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_8983_helpjuvenile-delinquent.html#ixzz1T07b1Lvs
The most effective way to prevent juvenile delinquency has indisputably been to assist children and their families early on. Numerous state programs attempt early intervention, and federal funding for community initiatives has allowed independent groups to tackle the problem in new ways. The most effective programs share the following key components: LawyerShop can help you find a criminal law attorney in your area today.
Education
Model programs have assisted families and children by providing them with information. Some programs inform parents on how to raise healthy children; some teach children about the effects of drugs, gangs, sex, and weapons; and others aim to express to youth the innate worth they and all others have. All of these programs provide youths with the awareness that their actions have consequences. This is particularly important in an era where youth are barraged with sexual and violent images. Educational programs have the underlying intent of encouraging hope and opening up opportunities for young people.
Recreation
One of the immediate benefits of recreational activities is that they fill unsupervised after-school hours. The Department of Education has reported that youths are most likely to commit crimes between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., with crime rates peaking at 3 p.m. Recreation programs allow youths to connect with other adults and children in the community. Such positive friendships may assist children in later years. Youth programs are designed to fit the personalities and skills of different children and may include sports, dancing, music, rock climbing, drama, karate, bowling, art, and other activities.
Community Involvement
Girl scouts, boy scouts, church youth groups, and volunteer groups all involve youth within a community. Involvement in community groups provide youth with an opportunity to interact in a safe social environment.
Prenatal and Infancy Home Visitation by Nurses
Nurses involved in the "Prenatal and Infancy Home Visitation by Nurses" program pay visits to low income, single mothers between their third trimester and the second year of their child's life. During these visits, nurses focus on the health of the mother and child, the support relationships in the mother's life, and the enrollment of the mother and child in Health and Human Services programs. A 15-year follow-up study found that mothers and children involved in the program had a 79 percent lower child abuse rate, a 56 percent lower child runaway rate, and a 56 percent lower child arrest rate. Maternal behavior problems also dropped significantly in the studied group.
Parent-Child Interaction Training Program
The "Parent-Child Integration Training Program" takes parents and children approximately 12 weeks to complete. It is designed to teach parenting skills to parents of children ages two to
seven who exhibit major behavioral problems. The program places parents and children in interactive situations. A therapist guides the parents, educating them on how best to respond to their child's behavior, whether positive or negative. The program has been shown to reduce hyperactivity, attention deficit, aggression, and anxious behavior in children.
Bullying Prevention Program
The Bullying Prevention Program is put into place in elementary and junior high school settings. An anonymous student questionnaire fills teachers and administrators in as to who is doing the bullying, which kids are most frequently victimized, and where bullying occurs on campus. Once teachers and administrators have learned about how and where bullying occurs at their school, they set up class rules and facilitate discussions that address the problem. Individual bullies and victims receive independent counseling. The program succeeds in creating a safer, less hostile environment for students at minimal cost.
Prevention Programs within the Juvenile Justice System
A youth entering the Juvenile Justice System has the opportunity to receive intervention assistance from the state. In the care of the state, a youth may receive drug rehabilitation assistance, counseling, and educational opportunities. The success of the Juvenile Justice System is measured by how well it prepares youth to re-enter the community without committing further crimes. Optimally, all juvenile detention facilities would catch youths up on their education, provide them with job training, give them the experience of living in a safe, stable environment, and provide them with assistance to break harmful habits.
The Nebraska Correctional Youth Facility
The Nebraska Correctional Youth Facility (NCYF) is an example of a successful juvenile detention facility that gears its programs toward restoring delinquent youth. The facility holds young adult violent offenders and juvenile delinquents who have been tried in adult court for committing violent crimes. The youngest inmates are 15 and the oldest are 21. NCYF is a "maximum security institution" that was designed to separate young violent offenders from adult offenders, and to assist young inmates by providing them with the help they need to change their behavior. All inmates are required to participate in the educational opportunities provided by the facility. They are required to meet standards that are set forth by the prison on a person-by-person basis. Each inmate has the opportunity to earn a GED and to take community college level courses. The parents of inmates may follow their child's progress through communication with staff. While at NCYF, inmates are given the opportunity to work as teacher assistants, gardeners, recreational leaders, and kitchen staff. The facility's recreation program also provides an array of activities, from basketball leagues to ping-pong tournaments. An annual 10k is held, in which the inmates race with staff members. NCYF monitors the health of its occupants, in part, by providing drug rehabilitation counseling and by performing weekly drug tests. A program unique to NCYF is "Project HEART." Prisoners who have met specified behavioral and educational requirements may train a pet dog. The dogs, deemed unfit for adoption because of behavioral problems, are given a home in the prison yard. A qualified inmate may be given a dog to take care of for a period of time. He (NCYF only holds male inmates) may bring the dog with him to his classes and activities. He is ultimately responsible for teaching the dog. After a period of training, the dogs receive "Good Canine Citizen Awards" and are set up for adoption through the
Nebraska Humane Society. Inmates whose dogs are placed with a family, are given the opportunity to talk to the family, via phone, and give them tips on how the dog has been trained. As a measure of the success it has experienced in rehabilitating violent offenders, NCYF received a 99.7 percent initial accreditation in August of 2000 from the American Correctional Association (ACA), formerly the National Prison Association.
Ending Repeat Offenses
Once out of detention, youths face the challenge of readjusting to "free" life. For many, youth detainment places a halt in a pattern of destructive behavior. Once out of prison, the youth must create a pattern of life separate from criminal activity. To assist in this process, courts have attempted to implement helpful social services for former inmates and their families. Some of these are job placement, school follow-up, extended counseling, and extended drug rehab. The Functional Family Therapy (FFT) program assists youth on parole by helping them and their families communicate in more effective, positive ways.
Functional Family Therapy (FFT)
The Functional Family Therapy program helps adolescents on probation - and their families. A family therapist works with the family and helps individual family members see how they can positively motivate change in their home. The program works in three phases. During the first phase, the therapist attempts to break down resistance to therapy and encourages the family to believe that negative communication and interaction patterns can be changed. In the second phase, family members are taught new ways to approach day-to-day situations; they are shown how to change their behaviors and responses to situations. During the third phase, family members are encouraged to move new relational skills into other social situations (school, or the workplace, for instance). FFT reduces recidivism rates and juvenile delinquency at a low cost. Twelve FFT sessions cost approximately one-sixth the cost of detaining a youth for one month. Another positive effect of the program is that the siblings of the youth on parole are less likely to commit crimes because of the help their family has received.
Ineffective Prevention Strategies
Scare Tactics
Currently, Americans are steering away from this tactic, as it has proven rather ineffective, but during the 1990s it was a technique that politicians and the greater community put much confidence in. Slogans such as "get tough on crime" and "adult time for adult crime" spoke to the common-sense core of many people who worried about rising juvenile crime rates. The basic ideology centered on the idea that crime rates were high because youth were not afraid of facing juvenile detention. General opinion held that the system had become too soft; the threat of confinement was not deterring youth from criminal activity. Several major shifts occurred during this time:
Juvenile courts gave increased jurisdiction to adult, criminal courts. Courts authorized easier transfers of juveniles into the adult criminal court and, in some states, waived their authority over specified crimes.
Youths were sent to adult prisons in increased numbers. Younger offenders were sent to adult prisons as states tightened their definition of who was a child, and more court decisions placed youth in adult confinement. Youths were issued longer prison sentences in the adult system than they would have been given in the juvenile justice system. Most of those sentenced, however, were not required to serve the full length of their prison terms. The harsher penalties that came with the era of hard-time scare tactics were intended to lower crime rates and to express to youth that crime would not be tolerated. These penalties, however, did not achieve their intended effects. The approach was grounded in the idea that youth could be managed through fear. But fear was not a forceful impetus to motivate youth toward positive behavior. No direct correlation was witnessed between harsher sentencing and fewer first-time arrests, and youth that had been placed in the adult system actually had a higher recidivism rate than similar juveniles placed in juvenile detention facilities.
"Juvenile Boot Camp" and "Scared Straight"
In the years that "get tough on crime" policies were being established, various new programs were also attempted. One such program, Juvenile Boot Camp, received high publicity but had little success. "At risk" youth were placed into intense, structured, severe environments that were modeled after military boot camps. The Juvenile Boot Camps were intended to teach youth about structure and discipline but their success rates, which were measured based on their ability to prevent kids from committing future crimes, were low. For some youth, the programs were actually counter-productive. Another program, "Scared Straight," brought parole/probation youth into interactions with adult prisoners through meetings or short-term incarcerations. The program was designed to make young offenders frightened of the violent adult prison system. According to the Surgeon General at the time, the program was not effective. Share|
Delinquency A Handout for Parents and Teachers
by Judy Johnson University of Northern Colorado Background
Generally, the term delinquency refers to any illegal act committed by a juvenile (someone below the legal age of adulthood, which varies from state to state). A youth can be considered delinquent for breaking any federal, state, or local criminal laws. In addition, they can considered delinquent for committing status offenses, which are behaviors that are not considered crimes for adults (truancy, running away, drinking alcohol, etc.). Juvenile delinquency impacts us all through costs of the juvenile justice system, rehabilitation and property damages, as well as the human suffering of crime victims. The contribution of youth to the crime problem varies depending on the crime. In 1994, juveniles were responsible for:
10% of murders 14% of forcible rapes 20% of robberies
21% of burglaries 25% of larceny-thefts 48% of arsons
There was a 50% increase from 1988 to 1994 in the number of juveniles arrested for violent crime. Although juvenile crime has been traditionally considered a male problem, there was an increase in the percentage of females arrested in most offense categories. Since these are only the juveniles that have been arrested, the juvenile crime rate is higher than these figures, but to what degree is uncertain.
Development and Causes
There are a variety of theories regarding the development of delinquent behaviors. However, it is a complex social behavior that usually cannot be attributed to any one causal factor. There is no compelling evidence that race, social or economic factors are strongly related to delinquency. Loeber (1990) identified three paths leading to delinquent and antisocial behavior. The first path, an "aggressive versatile path," begins in the preschool years and involves, in addition to hyperactivity, a variety of aggressive and nonaggressive conduct problems. The next path is a "nonaggressive path" which begins in late childhood or early adolescence and usually involves nonaggressive conduct problems (theft, truancy, substance abuse, lying) that are often committed with peers. The final path is an "exclusive substance abuse path" that begins in early to middle adolescence and with little history of other conduct problems. One of the strongest predictors of delinquency and antisocial behavior during adolescence is aggression; it signals criminal behavior in adulthood. In addition, a number of studies have found a relationship between family variables and delinquency. These include low levels of warmth and supportiveness, as well as high rates of marital and family discord. Some research has shown that families of female delinquents may be even more dysfunctional than those of male delinquents. Other factors include ineffective and lax parental discipline and parents' involvement in criminal activities. Peer involvement is also related to delinquent activity. A high percentage of delinquent behavior is carried out with peers and such behavior provides continued support and acceptance.
What Can I Do as a Parent?
In treating delinquency, individual and family counseling should be considered. Prevention of delinquent behaviors in youth is the most effective role for parents and teachers. Keep in mind the following:
A nurturing and supportive relationship, as well as a balanced and consistent
system of discipline, is beneficial for your child. Parental support groups are often available to help you deal with the difficult behaviors of your child and to learn additional parenting strategies. Identify and address any negative family patterns (alcoholism, grief, domestic violence, abuse) through professional counseling. Communicate with teachers and school staff to see if your child is attending school and how he/she is doing academically.
What Can I Do as a Teacher?
Teach appropriate social, problem-solving and coping skills. Peer groups focused in this area have been shown to be effective. Give recognition for positive behavior, activities and accomplishments. Keep open communication with the family and other agencies the child is involved in (i.e. probation, mental health). Encourage involvement with positive adult role models (such as Partners or a Big Brother program). Work to insure that the student experiences success both educationally and, when possible, vocationally. Provide as many experiences as possible for the student to bond to the school and positive peers.
Reference
Loeber, R. (1990). Development and risk factors of juvenile antisocial behavior and delinquency. Clinical Psychology Review, 10, 1-41.
Resources
Baker, F. (1991). Saving our kids from delinquency, drugs, and despair. New York: Harper-Collins. Jenson, W. R., Rhode, G., Reavis, H. K., & Neville, M. (1994). Why me? Practical parenting techniques for tough childhood problems. Longmont, CO: Sopris West. McCarney, S. B., Wunderlich, K. C., Bauer, A. M. (1993). The pre-referral intervention manual. Columbia, MO: Hawthorne Educational Services. Rhode, G., Jenson, W. R., & Reavis, H. K. (1993). The tough kid book.Longmont, CO: Sopris West. Witt, P. A., & Crompton, J. L. (1996). Recreation programs that work for at-risk youth: The challenge of shaping the future. State College, PA: Venture Publishing. © 1998 National Association of School Psychologists, 4340 East West Highway, Suite 402, Bethesda MD 20814 phone 301-657-0270.
How to Influence a Juvenile Delinquent's Life
By Mark Fitzpatrick, eHow Contributor
updated April 23, 2011
Print this article
Illegal or addicted drug use is one sign of juvenile delinquency.
Juvenile delinquency is broadly defined by extreme violence or anti-social behavior by adolescents and young adults. The social implications of juvenile delinquency have become such a concern that the United Nations have declared juvenile delinquency as a worldwide problem. Juvenile delinquents tend to have little regard for authority, and they can increase crime rates in neighborhoods and cities. Elected officials, teachers, religious leaders, parents and other concerned parties should take drastic action to attempt to reach juvenile delinquents before their lifestyles destroy their lives.
Difficulty:
Challenging
Instructions
1.
o
1
Provide community resources and supports. Projects such as public parks, city-wide recreational activities, neighborhood watches, and responsive law enforcement can help strengthen communities and minimize delinquency.
o
2
Provide support to parents of juvenile delinquents. Parents play an influential role in children's and adolescents' lives. If parents are available but do not know how to communicate or help their children, local organizations and government officials should try to help parents reach their children as part of a coordinated effort to curb juvenile delinquency. Teachers and social workers should work with parents to help them develop positive approaches to communicating with their children, provide their children with supportive environments and give them appropriate levels of supervision and structure.
o
3
Provide interventions for youths living in dysfunctional settings. Abusive homes, homelessness and excessive amounts of unsupervised time all contribute to juvenile delinquency. Providing young people who are experiencing these difficulties with supportive services or, in some cases, removing them from the situation has the potential to both improve their outcomes and reduce delinquency.
o
4
Sentence juvenile delinquent's to more socialization treatments. A socialization treatment is a focus toward rehabilitation and emotional health for the adolescent. This is a key mission to solve juvenile delinquency, especially since every state in the United States allows the imprisonment of a juvenile in an adult prison depending on the crime. A startling study by the Department of Justice found that on one single day, June 30th 1994, 250 juveniles from the ages of 13 to 15 were imprisoned in adult prisons. Neither of these sentences tend to help solve the emotional, social, or psychological problems an adolescent may be facing. Instead, focusing on better emotional, social, or psychological treatments for delinquents can help the adolescent better associate with members of society.
o
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Invest heavily in social education programs for juvenile delinquents. Teaching juvenile delinquents about alternatives to negative behaviors--such as committing crimes and joining gangs--can equip them with the tools they need to make better choices and improve their outcomes.
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Provide opportunities to prepare for future success. Many juvenile delinquents have few prospects for a successful future. Job training workshops, access to supplemental educational opportunities, and professional training may help juvenile delinquents envision a successful future for themselves.
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How to Help Your Juvenile Delinquent
By an eHow Contributor
Print this article
Juvenile delinquents need parents who are loving, yet hold them responsible for their actions. Getting your child into counseling is the best way to deal with the problem.
Difficulty:
Moderate
Instructions
1.
o
1
Look at your child's situation closely for signs of substance abuse. If you see any, get your child to a program or counselor who specializes in these problems.
o
2
Consider your family. Are there a lot of fights? Is there violence? Are you considering divorce? Any of these problems may impact your child. If you believe any of these is an issue, take your child to a counselor.
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3
Work closely with the school. Teachers and school counselors may have a good idea about your child's attitude, social group and behavior problems. Ask the school for information and advice. Be cooperative and try not to offer excuses. Take their suggestions.
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4
Get a lawyer. If your child has been charged as a juvenile delinquent, hire an attorney to represent him or her in court.
o
5
Talk to police, probation officers or juvenile officers who are involved in your child's case. Be friendly and cooperative. Find out what they see as the problem and ask for advice.
o
6
Find a good counselor. If your child is involved in juvenile offenses, you need to get help as soon as possible. No matter what the root of the problem, counseling can probably help you understand it even if it can't help you solve it.
o
7
Listen to your child. Pay attention to what he or she says and how he or she acts. Try to have a conversation where you don't accuse the child or reprimand the child. Talk about the problems and ask what you can do to help.
o
8
Express your love for your child in your words and your actions. Make sure he or she understands that you will always love him or her even if you don't approve of specific things.
o
9
Think about all of your options. Maybe your child would make some changes if he or she had stricter rules. Maybe living somewhere other than at home would help. Perhaps consequences for his or her actions are what is needed.
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Tips & Warnings
Try not to excuse your child's criminal actions. This is a serious problem and needs to be treated as such. Understand that one possible result from court intervention is that your child can be removed from your home and placed in foster care or a juvenile facility. Obtain legal assistance to protect your family.
Read more: How to Help Your Juvenile Delinquent | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_8983_helpjuvenile-delinquent.html#ixzz1T07b1Lvs
