PEERS AND DELINQUENCY
DEMONSTRATION PROJECT:
PEERS AND DELINQUENCY
18 CJ 798 008
University of Cincinnati
June 5, 2009 Introduction
The problem of how to deal with juvenile offenders has plagued society since before the establishment of the first juvenile court in 1899. (OJJDP, Juvenile Court Statistics 1999) Prior to that development, delinquent juveniles were processed through the adult court and often received harsh punishments. The American juvenile justice system was designed to reform juveniles found guilty of minor crimes, minor crimes such as petty theft and truancy. The system attempts to balance the concerns of the community with the best interest of the child. (Dr. Wright Lecture Notes) The system is becoming overwhelmed by crimes of violence. Theft and truancy issues have been replaced by rape, robbery, and murder. The juvenile justice system was never meant to deal with these issues of criminality.
Many professionals have their thought about what factors lead to crime and delinquency. These thoughts have lead to many researchers unearthed a plethora of possibilities and theories as to why crime occurs among juveniles. It leads researchers to dealing with the issue of juvenile criminality through group assimilation or learned criminal behavior. Juvenile delinquency describes the antisocial behavior of many different types of youth who are delinquent or unruly or on the verge of being delinquent or unruly. In general terms juvenile delinquency means those acts committed by a juvenile that would violate a law. On the other hand the unruly juvenile is one that has committed a status offense, i.e. truancy, runaway or turbulent behavior. These laws define a juvenile delinquent as a minor age seventeen or under who commits a criminal act determined by law and found true in juvenile system.
Children are not born delinquent. They are products of circumstances. Several factors can be predictors of criminality in youth, such as
PEERS AND DELINQUENCY
18 CJ 798 008
University of Cincinnati
June 5, 2009 Introduction
The problem of how to deal with juvenile offenders has plagued society since before the establishment of the first juvenile court in 1899. (OJJDP, Juvenile Court Statistics 1999) Prior to that development, delinquent juveniles were processed through the adult court and often received harsh punishments. The American juvenile justice system was designed to reform juveniles found guilty of minor crimes, minor crimes such as petty theft and truancy. The system attempts to balance the concerns of the community with the best interest of the child. (Dr. Wright Lecture Notes) The system is becoming overwhelmed by crimes of violence. Theft and truancy issues have been replaced by rape, robbery, and murder. The juvenile justice system was never meant to deal with these issues of criminality.
Many professionals have their thought about what factors lead to crime and delinquency. These thoughts have lead to many researchers unearthed a plethora of possibilities and theories as to why crime occurs among juveniles. It leads researchers to dealing with the issue of juvenile criminality through group assimilation or learned criminal behavior. Juvenile delinquency describes the antisocial behavior of many different types of youth who are delinquent or unruly or on the verge of being delinquent or unruly. In general terms juvenile delinquency means those acts committed by a juvenile that would violate a law. On the other hand the unruly juvenile is one that has committed a status offense, i.e. truancy, runaway or turbulent behavior. These laws define a juvenile delinquent as a minor age seventeen or under who commits a criminal act determined by law and found true in juvenile system.
Children are not born delinquent. They are products of circumstances. Several factors can be predictors of criminality in youth, such as
References: Akers R. L and Lee G. 1977. "A Longitudinal Test of Social Learning Theory: Adolescent Smoking," Journal of Drug Issues, 26 12:314-343 Burgess, Robert and Ronald L. Akers. 1996. "A Differential Association Reinforcement Theory of Criminal Behavior." Social Problems, 14: 363-383 Gottfredson, M., & Hirschi, T. A General Theory of Crime. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. 1990. Hirschi, T. Causes of Delinquency. Berkeley: University of California Press. 1969. McShane, Marilyn D., Williams, Franklin P. Encyclopedia of Juvenile Justice. SAGE, 2003: 22. Salts, Connie J, Lindholm, Byron W., Goddard, H. Wallace and Duncan, Stephan. Predictive Variables of Violent Behavior in Adolescent Males. Youth & Society. 1995 (March). Vol. 26(3). 377-399. Sutherland, Edwin H. 1947. Principles of Criminology, 4th Ed. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Company. Warr, Mark. Companions in Crime: The Social Aspects of Criminal Conduct. 2002. Cambridge University Press. Vito, Gennaro F., Maahs, Jeffrey R., Holmes, Ronald M