Juvenile Delinquency
There is no doubt that various experts can give us many theories as to the causes of juvenile delinquency, including one's economic background, substance abuse, delinquent peer groups, repeated exposure to violence, increased availability of firearms and media violence. However, I feel that the number one cause of juvenile delinquency is the breakdown of families, including lack of parental control over children. It is ironic in America, today, one must have a driver's license to operate a vehicle, a permit to own a gun and even a license to own a dog, but one does not have to have training or a license in order to become a parent. Without specialized educational programs in child development and parenting, many of our future parents will not have a chance at becoming successful parents and worse, yet, many parents today are already contributing to the ever-increasing problem of juvenile delinquency simply by not knowing how to be parents. Being a parent is a lifelong commitment and new parents must learn parenting skills immediately; they do not have the luxury of internships and often times, mistakes in parenting will have drastic effects on the child.
There are many reasons for the widespread crisis in families today. Below are some of those causes:
Changes in the Social Environment - there have been many changes in our social environment over the last twenty-five years. These changes have made a risky environment for today's youth. Children and teenagers spend more time with peer groups than ever before. Drugs and deadly weapons are used increasingly as ways to solve problems. Illicit and explicit sexuality and violence are the main subjects of choice in the
media; and the impact of media influence has widened and become more vivid with the introduction of computers, video games, portable stereos and MTV.
Changes in Family Structure and Functioning - The prevalence of divorce and the increasing number of women in the workplace have reduced the number of adults who provide interaction, structure and supervision in a child's life. Along with this, institutions have not kept pace in providing alternative programs for unsupervised kids. Add to
this new parenting expectations that come with single parent and step-parent families and you now have a confusing, often inconsistent and/or unreliable home base for children.
Confusion...
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Reference Page
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In her article “Why Racial Integration Remains an Imperative,” Elizabeth Anderson claims that integration is the only solution to the problems created by segregation, particularly between blacks and whites. Referencing her book The Imperative of Integration, she provides evidence to show why other methods are ineffective in eliminating racial disparities. In his “Comment on Elizabeth Anderson’s The Imperative of Integration,” Ronald Sundstrom critiques this view by suggesting an alternative method to combat segregation. He proposes that local solidarity will eventually lead to the type of inclusion envisioned by Anderson. However, Anderson provides ample support within her article to refute this critique and show the necessity of integration.
In contrast to the negatives of gentrification, some people view gentrification as a the only effective way to “revitalize” low-income urban communities. In the article, “Gentrification: A Positive Good For Communities” Turman situates the piece around the opinion that gentrification is not as awful as the negative connotation surrounding it. Furthermore, he attempts to dispel the negative aspects of gentrification by pointing out how some of them are nonexistent. To accomplish this, Turman exemplifies how gentrification could positively impact neighborhoods like Third Ward (a ‘dangerous’ neighborhood in Houston, Texas).Throughout the article, Turman provides copious examples of how gentrification can positively change urban communities, expressing that “gentrification can produce desirable effects upon a community such as a reduced crime rate, investment in the infrastructure of an area and increased economic activity in neighborhoods which gentrify”. Furthermore, he opportunistically uses the Third Ward as an example, which he describes as “the 15th most dangerous neighborhood in the country” and “synonymous with crime”, as an example of an area that could “need the change that gentrification provides”. Consequently, he argues with
... motivation for wealthy individuals to return to the inner-city core but it also provides impetus for commercial and retail mixed-use to follow, increasing local revenue for cities (Duany, 2001). Proponents of gentrification profess that this increase in municipal revenue from sales and property taxes allows for the funding of city improvements, in the form of job opportunities, improved schools and parks, retail markets and increased sense of security and safety ((Davidson (2009), Ellen & O’Reagan (2007), Formoso et. al (2010)). Due to the increase in housing and private rental prices and the general decrease of the affordable housing stock in gentrifying areas, financially-precarious communities such as the elderly, female-headed households, and blue-collar workers can no longer afford to live in newly developed spaces ((Schill & Nathan (1983), Atkinson, (2000)).
Elisa Allen and her repressed sexuality are introduced to the readers through a manly appearance with a small clue of a womanly figure making an effort to peer through. This suppressed sexuality will eventually symbolically emerge. Elisa's symbolic clothing shows her concealed passions. "Her figure looked blocked and heavy in her gardening costume (Steinbeck 1463)." Elisa tries to subdue her sexual desires by hiding beneath manly clothing, tools, and even her home (Duncun 1). "She wore a man's black hat, clod-hopper shoes…[and] heavy leather gloves (Steinbeck 1463)." She carried " short and powerful scissors (Steinbeck 1463)" and her house was "hard-swept and hard-polished (Steinbeck 1463)." Although she had a manly appearance she was still doing t...
Elisa’s inner feelings are most apparent with the portrayal of her working in the garden, the conversation she has with the “Fixer-Guy”, and finally, when she and her husband are going out to dinner. Steinbeck offers an array of different details concerning the character of Elisa Allen. The main detail being that she is a strong woman on the inside although she seems to struggle in showing it throughout the story. Because of the "Pot Fixer," she is able to act, although for a short time, like that strong woman. Steinbeck unfortunately brings Elisa full-circle, back to where she started. She notices on the way to dinner her chrysanthemum sprouts at the roadside. This, along with her husband’s hesitation to allow her curiosity, puts her back where she started, canceling her emergence. One must ask after reading this short story if Elisa will continue this discontented lifestyle. Or will she be able to blossom beautifully for good, as do her chrysanthemums?
Chuck D and Johnson in their article state that while Obama is in office they with the rest of the African American population hope to see a smaller wealth gap between white people and African Americans as well as a lower percentage of homelessness (45). This couple not only strongly believes in Obama, but also that he can bring reform to the country. Chideya in her article talks about Obama facing many problems that need fixing in the United States, and that he should focus mostly on education (136). This is another example of looking ahead into Obama's presidency and urging him to focus primarily on education. Lastly, Cleage writes about Michelle Obama and how she is as amazing and influential to the world as her husband is. She states, "Michelle Obama would still be a very powerful woman" (27), even if she did not marry Barack Obama. Cleage feels so strongly about Michelle Obama that she goes as far as to say that the First Lady is the best of the new Americans and that she really is America (28). She is trying to say that it was not just the president that changed the US, it was the entire Obama family and that with both Michelle Obama and Barack Obama in power great changes can be made for the country. These writers are imploring Obama to bring change to America since now there is a powerful
“For me, education was power.” Michelle Obama has always been a major advocate for many different causes, such as education, health, and support for military families. Her work to make people’s lives better has influenced many people to join the causes and have healthier lifestyles. Becoming First Lady gave her a large influence and began her support of many causes, which has made her one of the most influential people of this century.
In John Steinbeck's short story," The Chrysanthemums," there is a strong underlining of betrayal. We can see betrayal in three forms throughout the story. First we see Elisa being betrayed by the salesman who plays on her emotions by giving her a sales pitch only to get some work out of her. Then, in result to confiding in the salesman Elisa betrays her husband by opening herself up, and confiding to a complete stranger things which she couldn't reveal to her own husband. Finally, we see Elisa betraying herself by not allowing herself to fully express her true emotions, and by being too afraid to step out of societies norms for woman during this time.
Daly, Kathleen, Goldsmith, Andrew, and Israel, Mark. 2006, Crime and Justice: A guide to criminology, third addition, Thomson, Lawbook Co.
Hickey, T.J. (2010) Taking Sides: Clashing Views in Crime and Criminology, 9th Edition, New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
A more clear example of how Elisa feels can be better explained by Steinbeck's description of the where Elisa and Henry live. "The high gray-flannel fog of winter closed off the Salinas Valley from the sky and from all the rest of the world. On e...
In believing that “today’s cities play a different economic role than they did in the past,” Kotkin argues that “At best, Jacobs’s compelling portrait from 1961 is something of an anachronism,” meaning that her lessons are out of place in the current era (Kotkin). Kotkin pulls in details from researcher Gary Evans saying, “Families in urban apartments today… generally have far weaker networks of neighbors than their suburban counterpart, a generally more stressful home life, and significantly less ‘social support’” (Kotkin). Kotkin further implies that Jacobs is outdated when quoting her mentioning how suburbs are not a good place to bring up children (Kotkin). Today the general consensus is that cities are not a safe place to raise a family and that the city is just as stepping stone towards career advancement that will eventually lead a person to a domesticated suburbia lifestyle (Kotkin). “Jacobs… instinctively hated where families were in fact headed: the suburbs” claiming that “neighborhoods like her own... [were] ideal places where locals watched out for each other” (Kotkin). Many families flee cities in hopes of finding a safer community for their children. “[I]n 2011 children 5-14 constitute about seven percent in core districts… [which is] roughly half the level
Theory has been defined as, “an organized set of assumptions, beliefs, or ideas about particular phenomena in the world (Teater, 2015).” Theory is used to understand and explain possible and perceived instances, behaviors and outcomes (Teater, 2015). Social workers use theory in order to understand, as well as, introduce interventions and solutions to their client’s individual situation. It is important for students entering into the social work profession to have a base knowledge of theories, with basic understanding of their similarities and differences to appropriately apply theory in practice. The theories which will be focused on in this paper include Systems Theory and Cognitive Behavioral Theory.
A critical issue, perhaps most injurious to our futures, involves the criminal tendencies of our youth. Juvenile delinquency is without a doubt one of the most crucial topics that we face in our society today. Children and teens do not only shape our future, but will also pave the footsteps for future generations. What prompts this criminal behavior? And why is the proportion of delinquents in society seemingly increasing? As we will see, many factors play a role in molding personality; these factors include gender, family, and schools.