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It has been noted that research studies on public perception on young people in criminal activities are not many, those that have carried out such research studies suggest a public perception that criminal activities committed by the youth is on the rise (Munice, 2001). A Calgary survey of 350 residents on crime, for example, found that roughly 40 per cent of its respondents listed youth violence or youth gangs as the primary problem in the city (Collins, 1992). The annual CTV polls show a consistently increasing number of Canadians claiming young people behaviour in their neighbourhoods is getting worse: from 35 per cent in the early 1990 to 80 per cent in 1994 (McDonald, 1995). These surveys also reveal that 80 per cent of Canadians, up …show more content…
From the numerous research studies that have been carried out in the past, it can be said that there is a tendency for the people to overestimate level of young people with criminal offences, the number of youth, the proportion of crime committed by the youth, and the seriousness of youth crime (Nacro, 2006). Many literature have suggested that the public perception on youth crime is not always based on personal experiences and it has been suggested that public perceptions on youth crime tend to outstrip direct experience of young people crimes (Nayak, 2003). This phenomenon also means that external factors such as mainstream media and newspapers reporting have played a major role in shaping the public perception on youth crime (Newbury, 2008). According to Bateman (2006), there is no correlation between actual prevalence of youth offences and perception of youth behaviour (Nacro, 2006). For instance, people expect more negative perceptions in high-crime locations, as compared to areas where recorded crimes are low (Cohen, Rust and Steen, 2003). As no relationship is apparent, other factor rather than direct experience of young people crime may be responsible for contributing to a mismatch between the reality of such behaviour and public …show more content…
Main stream media coverage of cases and the frequent portrayal of the youth terrorising people would suggest that young people are becoming criminalised (Morrow, 2008). The image that is portrayed by young people out there appears to be under public perceptions and threat matter especially as policies and government agendas are shaped by the attitudes and concerns of the general public (Wilson et el, 2006). This review of literature on public perception on youth crime and young offenders attempts to establish the facts by asking the following two questions 1) has there been a change in the levels of youth crime in recent years? 2). Does the public’s perception of youth crime correspond with the actual levels of offending among the young people?
Research Methodology
A combination of qualitative and quantitative research study method was employed where a questionnaire was administered in a face-to face interview with selected participants (Schissel, 2007). A sample of 200 participants was targeted for the research study (Nacro, 2006). There was a 10 per cent to 20 per cent validation exercise to assure the integrity of the data/information that was gathered, and after completion, the questionnaires were edited for consistency and completeness before being processed (Winterdyk, 2000). The processed information was analysed by the following demographics:
• Age groups
The relationship between ‘Youths’ and crime is the mainstay of media coverage but, does the media truly reflect what is happening in
When thinking about youth crime do you envision a country with a high rate of young offenders, gang activity and re-offending? Or do you envision a country with a significant increase of young offenders either being successfully reintegrated into society, or helped by a community when seeking forgiveness for a minor offence that they have committed? Since the passing of Bill C-7 or the Youth Criminal Justice Act on February 4, 2002 by the House of Commons, many significant improvements have been made in Canada’s youth criminal justice system on how to handle and care for young offenders. Some of the reasons why Bill C-7 was passed in Canada was because the bill before it, Young Offenders Act, had many problems and suffered large amounts scrutiny by Canadian Citizens. It’s because of these reasons that Bill C-7 had been revised multiple times before being passed, having previously been called Bill C-68, March of 1999 and Bill C-3, in October 1999. With this all being said, many Canadian citizens are still left to ponder a question of if there is even significant improvement in our Youth Criminal justice system when comparing the Youth Criminal Justice Act to the Young Offenders Act? In my opinion, there are many significant improvements that have been made in the Youth Criminal Justice Act which have aided our justice system. By addressing the weaknesses of the Young Offenders Act, the Youth Criminal Justice Act has helped Canada improve in the field of youth criminal justice by implementing better Extrajudicial Measures, ensuring effective reintegration of a young person once released from custody and providing much more clarification on sentencing options.
Most young offenders get into trouble with the law only once. But the younger children are when they first break the law, the more likely they are to break the law again (Statistics Canada study, 2005). The Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) attempts to acknowledge that different youth need different sentences within the justice system, while ensuring that it is fair and equitable for them. Many people, both in Canada, and around the world, believe that youth are not reprimanded harshly enough for the crimes they commit and that they are, in general, are able to squeeze through the justice system without punishment. Others, believe that the justice system does not treat youth fairly and punishes them without acknowledging that rehabilitation
In a modern age where the media retains a strong influence on the general population, many youths across the globe are feeling the effects of being misrepresented by media. The characteristics often forwarded by media frequently links youths with that of criminals and gangs. Similarly, depictions of teenagers being ignorant and haughty is now a widespread stereotype. These inaccurate depictions, which are sometimes taken for granted, are causing detrimental damages to the lives of youths and their futures as members of society. Despite the media’s likelihood to portray modern youths negatively, evidence suggests the opposite; that modern youths are in fact responsible,
There is no doubt that youth justice practises have changed throughout the years, these changes have been made to adapt to the new challenges that present themselves today. Crime in general, but particularly youth crime is a consistent problem for society.
“Our youths now love luxury, they have bad manners, they have disrespect for authority, disrespect for older people…” Ancient Greek philosopher Socrates acknowledges the escalation of delinquency among youth in the early age’s .The rise of young offenders furthers the Canadian government to record juvenile offenders, in addition, devise an act to better control the epidemic of young delinquents. The topic of proposal is the effectiveness of the youth justice system in its response to crime. Firstly, in order to determine the effectiveness of the youth justice system, one must grasp the premise that is a delinquency, in particular a young delinquents.
Serious crimes such as murder, burglary and rape have raised questions as to whether the young offenders should face severe punitive treatment or the normal punitive measures in juvenile courts. Many would prefer the juveniles given harsh punishment in order to discourage other young people from engaging in similar activities and to serve as a lesson to these particular offenders. However, results from previous studies indicate such punitive measures were neither successful nor morally acceptable. Instead, the solutions achieved have unfairly treated the youths and compromised the society status (Kristin, page 1).
Working with youth is an essential factor to help them develop the basic essential skills and traits that are needed to begin and successfully live throughout adulthood. They are also a means of crime prevention. In order to evaluate how agencies provide assistance to youth and crime prevention strategies whilst working with youth, this paper will be focusing on the Brisbane Youth Service (BYS). A brief description of the agencies role, philosophy upon which the organisation bases its practices will be given. The paper will then continue to explain the relationship BYS has with crime prevention and the ways in which it practices these. Strengths and weaknesses of the BYS organisation will also be discussed, as well as research into youth crime statistics and prior research studies of youth crime. This will assist in explaining why the organisations role is essential within society and whether any improvements are needed to continue to provide positive support for youth.
We can see that justice is achieved when the punishment for the offender is equal to the crime he/she has committed. Therefore, a social balance is re-established and maintained within society. But, for young offenders these rules are to some extent thrown out the window.
In all the analysis, the youth justice policy analyst has to judge the use of specific words and their interpretations conveyed and the interpretations captured by society and formalise a method which in all way tries to curb the spread of wrong interpretation. Moral panic, demonization, and politicisation are of invaluable use for the youth policy analyst as the interpretations of these words makes most of the difference in the way juvenile crime is viewed and accepted by society at large.
Few social issues get as much media attention as youth crime. Statistics Canada reported a 3% increase in crimes committed by 12- to 17-yearolds between 2005 and 2006. In the last 15 years, the rate of violent crimes among young people has increased by 30% (Youth crime, 2008). From gangland-style killings in Vancouver to the senseless beating of an elderly woman in Hali-fax, Canadian cities are struggling with a wave of youth crime that was unimaginable a couple of decades ago. According to Statistics Canada, most Canadians believe that youth crime is on the rise and 77% believe that the sentencing of young offenders is too lenient (Youth crime, 2005). Many experts attribute the spike in youth crime to the increased number of street gangs - often the perpetrators of youth crime (Catalano and Hawkins, 1996). Research indicates that youth seek comfort from those who welcome them and reinforce their sense of belonging. Unfortunate-ly, some youth have no choice but to turn to street gangs in order to satisfy their need for approv-al, belonging and self-worth (Clark, 1992). Street gangs are not just issues in big cities. Over the last few decades, there has been an increase in the presence of street gangs in non-metropolitan and rural communities. For example, in 1960, there were 54 cities in the United States with a gang population. In 1995, there were street gangs in approximately 800 cities and towns across the United States (Swetnam and Pope, 2001). There is no consensus among experts on how to reduce youth crime. Criminal involvement usually starts before the age of 15, with first-time of-fences declining markedly once young people reach 20 years of age. Young people who become involved in criminal activities before the age of 14...
Crime is omnipresent issue within society and is a constant source of concern among citizens. Youth crime in particular is of great apprehension, with statistics showing that the number of offences among young people is increasing. Crime Statistics Agency data obtained by Leader shows 25,636 offences were committed by people aged 18 and younger in the last 12 months with theft, assault and property damage the most common crimes (Heraldsun.com.au, 2018). Criminologists attempt to discover the underlying roots of crimes and the motivation behind the actions of offenders. A range of criminal theories have been established in which attempt to determine why individuals may be inclined to commit certain crimes.
In England, conforming to the Civitas’s Crime report Youth Crime in England and Wales (2010) the youngest age that someone can be prosecuted is as young as ten years old. It is also mentioned that trailing, patrolling and applying penalties on young offenders costs almost four billion pounds annually. The numbers of first time offences committed by a young person has decrease over the years; according to the Youth Justice Statistics (2014) youth crime is down by 63% since 2002. In regards to the offences themselves, nearly every offence category has decreased in reoccurrence with exception to drug offences declares Civitas’s Youth Crime in England and Wales (2010). The same report states that theft and handling remains the highest volume category taking up 21% of all youth crime. It is shortly followed by violence against a person, 19.5%, and criminal damage, 11.9%. It can be concluded from both aforementioned reports that crime in the UK is decreasing. Contrariwise to this, youth reoffending rates are soaring concludes Civitas’s Youth Crime in England and Wales (2010).
Goldston, B (2013), ‘Unsafe, unjust and harmful to wider society’: Grounds for raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales’, Youth Justice, vol. 13, no. 2, 111-130.
The media today is often taken for granted; as people don’t realize the dominance the media source holds in the modern world. Through media sources such as newspaper, TV and social media crime could be easily spread through out the world within seconds. As a result of this, humans understanding of crime and crime control are largely relied upon the media as evidently most people will not be in those serious criminal situations. The media however takes advantage of this situation by exaggerating crime scenes and focusing on particular crimes to make the public fear. Particular groups in the media are stereotyped to an extent where the public foresees then as ‘dangerous’. As a consequence, a change in the public’s perception of crime has forced