Term Paper on "Juvenile Delinquency the Causes Effects and Prevention"

Term Paper 5 pages (1450 words) Sources: 12 Style: APA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Juvenile Delinquency Recent Statistics

Legal Issues

Causes for Juvenile Crimes

Poverty

Family Structure

School Dropout and Delinquency

Reducing Juvenile Crimes: Interventions

School Readiness Childcare programs

Early Identification and Intervention

Juvenile Delinquency

Juvenile delinquency is a concerning national social issue. Pro-active intervention is the key to preventing children from developing criminal behavior. Though these programs involve considerable running costs, the results are more than worth the expenditure. Investing in the future of our kids is invaluable and could not be put off by economic constraints, as the consequences are both undesirable and unbearable.

Juvenile delinquency is a huge problem worldwide and the U.S. In particular. As per 2002 census, the American juvenile population stood at 25% of the national population and is slated to grow steadily during most part of the 21st century. Today the juvenile justice system serves a rich mixture of racial and ethnic population. There is an increasing ratio of non-white juveniles. In some states such as New Mexico for example; Hispanic juvenile ratio is 51% of the total juvenile population. Other states such as California (45%), Nevada (30%), Texas (42%), have a high percentage of Hispanic juveniles. Similarly, in Mississippi (45%), Louisiana (40%), North Carolina (27%), and Delaware (25%) the ratio of black juveniles is significant. In the district of Columbia, black juveniles account for 72% of the entire juvenile population. [OJJDP] Studies have clearly found the relationship between poverty and juvenile crimes. With the existing disparity in terms of per capita income levels between the different racial groups, it becomes imperative to consider the implications in context of the propensity to crime among juveniles from these varied groups. Let us have a brief overview of the juvenile crimes; their causes and the preventive intervention methods with a particular emphasis on how schools can better prepare themselves for managing and reforming juvenile behavior.

Juvenile Delinquency Recent Statistics

Juvenile delinquency continues to be a pressing problem for America though the latest statistics released by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention shows improvement in terms of juvenile crime rate today compared with similar statistics in its 1991 report. The FBI data also corroborates the decline in juvenile delinquency rates since 1994. The statistics also show a decline in racial disparity in juvenile crimes. For example, juvenile crimes among black community which was six times that of white juvenile offenders in 1980 now fairs considerable better at only four times the white rate. Reports indicate that the number of arrests pertaining to drug abuse among black juveniles fell significantly from five times that of white juvenile drug offenders to less than twice the arrest rate for whites during the same period. In general, it is encouraging to note the decline in juvenile crime rates. Statistics also indicate a demographic change with increasing number of female juvenile offenders. [OJJDP]

Legal Issues

Juveniles in Adult Prisons)

While statistics project a positive picture in reporting a decrease in juvenile crime rate, it is disturbing that increasing number of juveniles are now being tried as adults. States such as North Carolina, New York and Connecticut have allowed anyone over 16 years of age to be tried as an adult. While Other States such as Texas, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri and New Hampshire 17 is the minimum age limit to be tried in adult courts. This is besides the fact that almost 50 states have atleast one provision that allows the criminal prosecutor to charge the juvenile as an adult. The consequence is increasing number of juveniles now serving terms in State prisons. As Vincent Schiraldi, director of the Justice Policy Institute says, "There's some justification for public frustration with the juvenile system, "But sending them (juveniles) to the adult system en masse is no solution. it's hardly a resounding success for the people it's got." [Kate Snow]

Causes for Juvenile Crimes

Poverty

Poverty is attributed as one of the leading causes for juvenile crimes. Several studies have attested to this fact. An early study by Farrignton reported that low family income as measured when the child is age 8 was a predictor for self-reported cases of juvenile violence and serious crimes during the teenage. [Farrington, D. 1989] Other researchers have shown that family disruption for which poverty is one of the main reasons is responsible for high levels of juvenile crimes. Sampson (1987) shows the effect of… READ MORE

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