Juvenile justice system in the US focuses not only in disciplining juvenile offenders but also in trying to come with factors which accelerate these offences. This is with the aim of avoiding these problems in future and also trying to identify the most effective methods of handling juvenile offenders. One of the main causes of delinquency is maltreatment, especially during the early stages of life. This has been identified as the main risk factor for delinquency among children. However, there are variations in maltreated children who later become juvenile delinquents. Recent studies show that a significant percentage of children who are abused do not necessarily become juvenile delinquents. This proves that there are other factors which contribute to delinquency among abused children.
The essay seeks to identify the factors which are likely to result in greater delinquency among abused children. It applies researches on child psychology and juvenile justice system to identify and elaborate on these factors. The question on what contributes to delinquency among abused children is important not only in juvenile correction system but also in psychology to assist in child upbringing. This is applicable especially in schools, clinics and other social institutions to ensure child welfare. The essay elaborates on risk factors derived from the study which include substance abuse, school difficulties, mental health problems, running away from home as well as negative peer influence. The paper assist in understanding the relationship between delinquency and child abuse.
Introduction
The Unite States Department of Health and Human Sciences have reported that there are about 3 million children who are reported to have experienced maltreat...
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...ency leads to social instability. The essay shows that statistical evidence from the juvenile correction services prove that maltreated children have the highest chances of being delinquent. They involve themselves in crime and other violent behavior. This calls for interventions to reduce delinquency. The interventions should start at home. Child protection services should start campaigns to encourage abused children to come forward in the society. This is both for sexual and physical abuse. After this, they should consult legal counsel to determine what actions should be taken about the parents. After this, there should be interventions to prevent the children from becoming delinquent. These should include guidance and counseling, proper schooling and foster homes that are free of victimization. This will reduce delinquency significantly among abused children.
Juvenile delinquency is a problem these days, despite a recent drop in arrests. Roughly 2.5 million juveniles are arrested every year for different crimes in America. About 100,000 of those are violent crimes, however those statistics are slightly inaccurate since only half of juvenile crimes are reported (Juvenile Justice Basic Statistics, 2011). Creating interventions to assist at-risk youth means preventing them from starting on a path to crime is a priority. Juvenile justice system researchers and professionals must gain a better understanding of the contributing elements that cause delinquent behavior.
Thesis: Children go astray and get involved in crimes and gang behaviors due to parents lacks of knowledge of how to topple and prevent such circumstance to happen – however, with a help from a local government and other crime and gang prevention programs can establish an effective early childhood awareness program(s) that would be capable to lend a hand and give information to helpless mothers whom are indecisive of how to suppress and prevent their kids to be vulnerable to delinquency.
Child abuse in general is quite complex and at the same time one of the most challenging social issue facing people all around the USA. Child abuse cases have been recorded in all the states of the USA. The cases occur in all areas be it cities, small towns, suburbs, and even in rural areas. The vice also happens in all types of families regardless of the ethnic origin of the family or the even family income (UNICEF, 2015). It is thus important that effort is put into reducing cases of child abuse.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 3.3 million referrals for alleged maltreatment were made in 2013. Out of the 3.3 million referrals, 899,000 children were officially documented as being maltreated(Child Abuse & Neglect 2015). Child abuse is the mistreatment of a child. Child abuse is recognized in several forms; physical, emotional, sexual and neglect. Children who experience any form of abuse will tend to withdraw themselves from their peers and sometimes from other family members who are not aware of what is taking place. Child abuse occurs not just in the homes of these children, but can also occur in schools, churches and after school programs. Anywhere a child is present there is a chance that abuse can occur. This paper will review the forms of child abuse, the effects of child abuse, reasons child abuse occurs and possible therapies to bring healing in the parties involved.
Everyday we read in the newspaper or watch T.V and hear news of crimes committed by Juveniles. With all of the crime being reported by the media about juveniles, one can’t help but wonder if all of our nation’s youth are juvenile delinquents. Although there are many cases where the juvenile did not commit a serious crime, there are others where the crime is so bad the juvenile court system tries the juvenile as an adult. Instead of seeking help for the individual, our justice system places them in adult facilities to “teach them a lesson.” The justice system fails to see what the cause of this outbreak is in a child whether it was abuse, neglect, or where they grew up. The juvenile justice system needs to see that by simply teaching the juvenile a lesson, it does nothing to deter crime.
Some of the explanations of delinquency insinuates that education, politics, social factors, family issues among others are the main causes of delinquency (Rutter, 2013).Just as these were some of the factors in “There Are No Children Here”. In addition, criminal investigators formulated several theories which explain causes of delinquency. Among them are social factors which are explained through several theories which include Social Reaction Theory also referred to as Labeling theory and Power control
Snyder, H.N., & Sickmund, M. (1995). Juvenile offenders and victims: A national report. Washington, DC: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
Many in the juvenile justice field have tried to understand the cause of juvenile delinquency. There are many different theories describe the cause and effect of variables and how they react. However, through much research, we have concluded there is not just one single path or journey that determines the fate of the juvenile. There are many different risk factors that build in order to increase a youth's chance of becoming an offender. This is kind of like a domino effect. Risk factors are described as the characteristics that present themselves to determine if the individual or youth will become a delinquent. These factors may include; home life, income status, gender, and social. It can either be one or all that play a part in the way the
Naiveté and lambs are two common symbolic representations of children. However, these ‘pure’ children can also be some of the most ruthless and disturbed beings on the planet. Juvenile delinquents are the small percent of children who act on their violent urges. Juvenile delinquents are minors that are “guilty of antisocial or criminal behavior” (Houghton Mifflin Company 951). All juveniles who commit these atrocious acts have some discrepant factor whether it is genetic or environmental, that has affected them, and in turn caused them to be psychologically disturbed. A wide variety of crimes can be committed by a juvenile. Anything an adult has the capability of doing, a child can also. However, reasons why they commit these crimes have a great variation, ranging from personal to economical reasonings. Hope of rehabilitation for the juvenile never ceases, because there are many treatment options that are available and can be utilized to help. Juveniles can be treated with different types of therapy, surgery, prescription medicine, and treatment programs. Despite the contributing factors of juvenile delinquency, family background and structure, along with the influence of peer pressure are the two most significant in determining the success of the juvenile.
In the last century, juvenile delinquency has been on the rise, because of poverty and the poor conditions youth are forced to live in. These conditions have contributed to a feeling of hopelessness for them. Many of the schools in poor neighborhoods,
This paper addresses the long term and short term consequences of child abuse and the different treatments to work with traumas that come along this action. Different approaches to work with child abuse and the effectiveness of treatment with children are discussed. The definition of child maltreatment, its causes, and factors are also detailed.
Juvenile Delinquency has been a big issue since the mid-1980s. It has declined since the mid 1990s. the number of juvenile homicide offenders has tripled between 1984 and 1994. some states started taking tougher legislative as far back as from the late 1970s. since the beginning of the legislation; reformers have been trying to prevent and make less punishing procedures the importance of education and employment. We could focus on the minority children since there is a higher percentage of juvenile offenders come from minority family. Polices began to change in recent years to treat juveniles as adults. Many factors that changed in our society today, which has influenced the increase in juvenile crime such as, increase in guns, drugs, and from violent inspiration in our communities. The difference between the settings in our society is what increased the increase in juvenile crime. More single parents home is an example of a setting that has changed since the late 1990s. These structural changes in the lifestyle and the development of a child can affect his/her
There is no one certain theory, regarding juvenile delinquency, that can completely distinguish all the determining factors that makes youth turn to crime; although, the study of all these theories and ideas can bring criminologist one step closer to uncovering the truth about juvenile delinquency. Only the further understanding of juvenile delinquency can help the prevention of future juvenile offenders. This paper will focus on the individual factors of delinquency, as well as the social elements, and provide an explanation of how the combination of the two elements may cause children to engage in criminal activity.
Juvenile delinquency is one of the major social issues in the United States today. Juvenile delinquency, also known as juvenile offending, is when “a violation of the law committed by a juvenile and not punishable by death or life imprisonment” (Merriam-webster.com). Although we have one justice system in America, the juvenile system differs from the adult juvenile system. Most juvenile delinquents range from as low as the age of seven to the age of seventeen. Once the delinquent or anyone turns the age of eighteen, they are considered an adult. Therefore, they are tried as an adult, in the justice system. There are many different reasons why a child would commit crime, such as mental and physical factors, home conditions, neighborhood environment and school conditions. In addition, there are a variety of effects that juvenile justice systems can either bad effects or good effects. Finally there are many different solutions that can reduce juvenile delinquency. As a result, juvenile delinquency is a major issue and the likeliness of it can be reduced. In order to reduce juvenile delinquency there has to be an understanding of the causes and the effects.
Juvenile delinquency is a problem that affects society as a whole. Understanding Juvenile delinquency is important because it is part of trying to figure out how people in American society should react to it; specifically, in terms of law enforcement officers, their agencies, and State legislators. When deviant behavior becomes "continuous, chronic and widespread it gets perceived as a significant part of the population as threatening to the general well-being of society" (Thompson and Bynum, 2010, p. 44). This is a societal problem that requires attention from various forms of social control. However, a lot of the burden is absorbed by an imperfect Juvenile Justice System. As time has passed, argument has ensued over what should be done with the Juvenile Court System. Should the court system be reformed or simply abolished? Barry C. Feld believes that there are enough factors to support the abolishment of the Juvenile Court System and supports an integrated approach (Hickey, 2010). Others, like Vincent Schiraldi and Jason Ziedenberg, believe that the transfer of kids "into adult court is unnecessary, harmful and racist" (Kelly, 2010, Lecture Unit 3). While reforming the system may seem like the best idea, there are certain factors that inhibit proper changes from being made. Creating a separate court system for juveniles has caused a number of consequences for youth.