Crim 301 Literature Review
Effectiveness of In-School Programs and After School programs
A Review of the Literature
California State University Los Angeles
Criminology 301
Professor Jenny
June 7, 2012
Abstract
In recent years, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) noticed the increase in the number of teens between the ages of nine to seventeen being involved with gangs in the United States. While most people would agree that gang membership is an individual choice, scholars believe that it is more important to shift the focus of these programs from an individual level to a community level. This literature review examines a few of the prevention programs the OJJDP have implemented in the school’s curriculum and after-school programs in the community to keep adolescent teens off the streets. The paper evaluates the effectiveness of teenagers who fully commit to the program and return on a daily basis, compared to teens that show up periodically. The examination of the prevention programs points out the limitations of the in-school and after-school programs and suggests that teenagers need more opportunities in the communities after finishing the program in order to reduce the number of teens being involved with gangs.
Introduction In the past few decades, the problems with youths being targeted into joining gangs have increased significantly (Howell 2000; Agopian 1991). Youth gang members usually vary between the ages of thirteen to eighteen. What is evident is that youths that end up on the streets are teenagers who come from small neighborhoods, unstable families, and lack the motivation to succeed in school (Howell 2000; Totten 2008; Hill, Lui &Hawkins 2001). For example, teens that come from an unstable family or dysfunctional household go out onto the streets to join a gang in order to have a sense of belonging (Howell 2000).
The primary purpose of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) program is to serve and
A Review of the Literature
California State University Los Angeles
Criminology 301
Professor Jenny
June 7, 2012
Abstract
In recent years, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) noticed the increase in the number of teens between the ages of nine to seventeen being involved with gangs in the United States. While most people would agree that gang membership is an individual choice, scholars believe that it is more important to shift the focus of these programs from an individual level to a community level. This literature review examines a few of the prevention programs the OJJDP have implemented in the school’s curriculum and after-school programs in the community to keep adolescent teens off the streets. The paper evaluates the effectiveness of teenagers who fully commit to the program and return on a daily basis, compared to teens that show up periodically. The examination of the prevention programs points out the limitations of the in-school and after-school programs and suggests that teenagers need more opportunities in the communities after finishing the program in order to reduce the number of teens being involved with gangs.
Introduction In the past few decades, the problems with youths being targeted into joining gangs have increased significantly (Howell 2000; Agopian 1991). Youth gang members usually vary between the ages of thirteen to eighteen. What is evident is that youths that end up on the streets are teenagers who come from small neighborhoods, unstable families, and lack the motivation to succeed in school (Howell 2000; Totten 2008; Hill, Lui &Hawkins 2001). For example, teens that come from an unstable family or dysfunctional household go out onto the streets to join a gang in order to have a sense of belonging (Howell 2000).
The primary purpose of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) program is to serve and
References: Agnew, R. (1992). Foundation for a General Strain Theory of Crime and Delinquency. Volume 30 No 1. Retrieved on June 2, 2012, from http:/ /courses.missouristate.edu/ KarlKunkel/SOC540/agnew.pdf Arbreton A.J.A & McClanahan W.S. (2004). Targeted Outreach: Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Approach to Gang Prevention and Intervention of Seattle Youth. Bulletin. Youth Gang Series. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Retrieved on June 2, 2012, from https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/190106.pdf Howell, J.C Howell, J. C., Egley, A., Jr., and Gleason, D. K. 2002. Modern Day Youth Gangs. Bulletin. Youth Gang Series Guillion, J.G (2006) Explaining Juvenile Delinquency: A Test of Robert Agnew’s General Strain Theory, Utilizing the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health Data. Doctor of Philosophy (Socioogy), December 2006 93 pp. Retrieved on May 22, 2012, from http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc5500/m2/1/high_res_d/dissertation.pdf Lafontaine, T., Ferguson, M., & Wormith, J. S. (2005). Street Gangs: A Review of the Empirical Literature on Community and Corrections-Based Prevention, Intervention, and Suppression Strategies Investigation. University of Florida. Retrieved on June 1, 2012, from http://ufdcimages.uflib.ufl.edu/UF/E0/00/47/85/00001/langton_l.pdf Mark Totten (2008) of Public Safety and Solicitor General of British Columbia. Retrieved on June 2, 2012, from http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/crimeprevention/ publications/docs/totten-report.pdf McGirven, M.S. (2010). The impact of cognitive coping on the strain-delinquency relationship: a test of general strain theory Research in Crime and Delinquency Vol 35. 4: 429-453. Retrieved on May 31, 2012, from http://64.20.37.146/academic/miller_genervivt.pdf Peterson, D., & Esbensen, F.-A. (2004). The outlook is G.R.E.A.T.: What educators say about school-based prevention and the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) program