Abstract
This paper will look at the importance of Preventing Juvenile Delinquency and what different ideas, concepts and methods are available to those adolescents that are either at-risk already or those that can be in the future. Early prevention is the best method of slowing down the statistics of crimes among adolescents, by keeping them off of the streets and out of the justice system by providing the means to teach them to be productive rather than destructive.
Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency-Rough Draft
Introduction
Juvenile delinquency is not a new concept; it has been around for decades. It is doubtful that it will ever stop but there are ways to prevent it. This paper will cover two perspectives of prevention. One being types of programs offered both by communities and the state, the other perspective looks into faith-based programs and how these two types are similar and how they differ. It will touch on ways that they may be able to work together for the benefit of those that are at the most likely to fall into a life of delinquency and crime. The Bible states in 1 Timothy 4:8 “For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (Holy Bible KJV , 1989). This is why delinquency prevention is so important it helps to lead the present life in the right path for a positive, productive future for these adolescents in their life to come.
“Delinquency
Community-Based Juvenile Prevention Programs presents the most appropriate solution to juvenile challenges across the United States. The country should promote community-based juvenile prevention programs because the programs offer practical and more cost effective solution to juvenile problems compared to the formal juvenile justice system. The programs are superior because they promote adolescent development, keep the community safe, and more cost effective compared to the formal juvenile justice system. Also, the programs safeguard the youths from the harm caused by incarceration and the processes of the formal juvenile justice system.
When a juvenile commits a crime, it is not considered a crime, however it is considered juvenile delinquency. A massive problem throughout the US is juvenile delinquent acts. Juveniles acting out in a delinquent manner can be caused by many things. However, there is not just one reason why a juvenile may commit these acts. Instead there are many reasons that could lead up to delinquency. In this essay, I will be discussing a few theories as well as ways juveniles may receive treatment.
The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice Office of Prevention and Victim Services provides voluntary youth crime prevention programs through the state of Florida. The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice mission is to increase public safety by reducing juvenile delinquency through operative prevention, intervention and treatment services that builds up families for a turn around of a brighter future of a troubled youth. The main functions of these programs as will be indicated in this paper are designed to reduce juvenile crime and protect public safety. These programs that will be stated main focused is to help those high-risk juveniles and those who display problem behaviors such as ungovernability, truancy, running away from home and other pre-delinquent behaviors. The state of Florida addresses these problems by contracting this delinquency programs prevention services and awarding grants to this local providers throughout the state of Florida.
It is often stated that the future lies in the hands of our offspring’s. Meaning, that the youth are our future adults. The world revolves on the status of the children and what they will do to contribute to life. Accordingly to The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquent Prevention 1.8 million juveniles were arrested in 2009 (OJJDP). The Juvenile Justice system holds the keys to unlock many doors of broken children that are on the wrong path in there adolescent life. The difference between children and adults is that children have a greater capacity for change when an adult can be more resistant to it (JLC.org). This is one reason why The Justice System should give additional help to the Juvenile Corrections System.
The goals of juvenile corrections are too deter, rehabilitate and reintegrate, prevent, punish and reattribute, as well as isolate and control youth offenders and offenses. Each different goal comes with its own challenges. The goal of deterrence has its limits; because rules and former sanctions, as well anti-criminal modeling and reinforcement are met with young rebellious minds. Traditional counseling and diversion which are integral aspects of community corrections can sometimes be ineffective, and studies have shown that sometimes a natural self intervention can take place as the youth grows older; resulting in the youth outgrowing delinquency.
Juvenile delinquency is very prevalent especially among adolescents because studies have shown that during the time of adolescence that is when delinquency tends to increase and once adolescence has passed at about 17 years of age then it tends to decrease (Adolescent Delinquency, 2002). There are many factors that can contribute to the increase of delinquency during adolescence, some of the factors can be personality, mental disorders, genetics, economic status, environment, family, and culture among others, also to understand better the causes of juvenile delinquency the social control theory is the best theory to explain juvenile delinquency as a whole (Adolescent Delinquency, 2002).
Juvenile delinquency is a social issue in the United States today. Juvenile delinquency, is when “a violation of the law is committed by a juvenile and is not punishable by death or life imprisonment” (Juvenile Delinquency). The juvenile system is different from the adult system in many way and most juvenile delinquents are from the age of ten to the age of seventeen (Juvenile Delinquent). Once the delinquent or anyone is at the age of eighteen, they are considered to be an adult. Therefore, in the justice system they are tried as an adult. There are many different reasons why a child would commit crime, such as mental and physical factors, peer influence, home conditions, neighborhood environment and school conditions. Teens are greatly influenced by the interactions and surroundings they are around. Their behaviors can result from the parent and/or their peer influences. Parents play a great role in the child’s life and a teen’s peers also play a strong role in how the teen behaves when the parents are not insight. This research will examine links between the social environment of teens and how it influences the teens actions and behavior which leads them to commit an offense.
The utilization of evidence based programs have proven to have positive outcomes for youth such as; reduced anxieties, and depression, academic success, support systems and skills for employment. Characteristically, juvenile delinquency follows a route comparable to that of usual adolescent development. Delinquent behavior is a path followed and not just something that children randomly engage in and therefore, through the understanding of the developmental paths of at-risk youth, researchers believe that early interventions can help to increase positive outcomes (Youth.Gov, 2017).
In the early 1990’s crimes committed by teenagers were many, it looked like the crimes were growing in faster rate. California passed a “tough new law against juvenile offenders.” Under California’s new law, Juveniles are now more likely to get harsher punishment including the possibility of getting locked up in adult’s prison. The law then quickly spread through US, about 45 states started using the adult’s justice system. However, the law does not help solve the issue, it actually makes it worst; Adult justice system interferes with Freud’s psychoanalytic theory, it is like pausing teenagers development of the super ego, the super ego is what teaches us our surrounding, it guides us through what is right and wrong. When juvenile offenders are sent to prison, they do not have normal human interactions to develop their super ego in a good way, when they are released back to the society, it is hard for them to adopt, therefore they will either commit another crime or take their own life. Alonza Thomas, born on November 2nd in 1984 in Bakersfield California is the first juvenile offender In the United States to be charged by the new law. Thomas just turned 16 when he was convicted of armed robbery and sent to adult’s prison.
Through an understanding of causes of juvenile delinquency society may come to deal preventively with delinquency; certainly treatment of the offender needs to be based upon an understanding of the causal mechanisms that have produced him. In this paper we'll describe three theories of juvenile delinquency such as Social Learning Theory, General Strain Theory and Behavioral Theory and discuss appropriate preventive programs based upon these theories.
This assignment will illustrate that by understanding the fundamentals of combatting juvenile delinquency and applying the theories to command practice will enhance the overall knowledge of the material. This document will demonstrate the juvenile delinquency reduction efforts and programs currently in operation in the Tampa area community. In addition, I will propose ways to improve the Tampa area community’s juvenile delinquency prevention efforts. Next, this paper will attempt to apply the main sociological theories that underlie these interventions that shape the community’s public policy for delinquency prevention. Finally, this paper will identify an appropriate strategy geared toward preventing delinquency that in consistent with the Behavioral theory.
Juvenile Delinquency has been an active issue in the criminal justice system that is considered as an evil by the society. It is believed to be a social and psychological problem faced by the youth and the society, which violates the legal system. The violation of the legal system makes it important to overcome the problem. The need to prevent the juvenile delinquency is important to help the youth cope with the society as well as the criminal justice system. The prevention of the delinquency is only possible if the results can be gathered for the causes of this behaviour. The causes can be gathered by examining a group of youth who can become possible offenders by knowing that what causes the delinquency and at what stages of the life does it trigger. The paper will be focus on the problem of juvenile delinquency, and the factors that contribute towards the onset of delinquency in youth. The research proposal would be based upon the previous research’s done and the data collected by those research’s that depicted some of the possible factors of delinquency found in youth that could be childhood maltreatment, negative relationship between the parents and the delinquent youth, emotional disturbance faced in the adolescent, genetics and the geographical factors. The factors would be further investigated by using them as independent variables in the research to find out how these factors can be removed to make the community aware of the negative impacts the
Juvenile Delinquency has been an important area of study since the turn of the twentieth century. And has reached to a point where it is now considered a social phenomenon. When we look into the word social, it could be viewed as an issue that has to do with the way we are socialized into society. However, for this purpose we would have to look at some very important questions like: How is the concept of juvenile delinquency defined? Who commits delinquent acts? How much delinquency occurs each year? Is the rate of delinquent activity increasing or decreasing? What can we do to prevent delinquency?
The development of preventive strategies will necessarily follow from an understanding of delinquency's root causes. If social structure is a key factor in the development of juvenile delinquency, then prevention will entail addressing issues regarding place, identity, or socioeconomic status. For example, if poverty is considered a significant causative factor, then taking steps such as providing jobs, job training, and perhaps additional welfare benefits becomes an important social concern. By eliminating poverty, society will thus
The start of life is the most significant part when dealing with someone who is young; this is the opportune time to start forming the personality of a person. When a child is old enough to understand values, morals and how to conduct themselves, that child is ready to reflect on all life has to offer. Many adults question “what is going on in the minds of the teens in the world today?” In light of the public’s constant concern for the livelihood of our youth, there are several ways to which society can decrease the juvenile delinquency in the area in which they live. Those that are responsible for improving the problem of juvenile delinquency appears to be lollygagging; being as though there seems to be an increasing amount of juveniles in our courts today.