Juvenile DelinquencyEssay Preview: Juvenile DelinquencyReport this essayJuvenile delinquency is a complex social problem that significantly impacts all members and processes of a social structure. Delinquency refers to a set of behaviors that are not in line with the collective practices and/or ethics of the dominant social group. Essentially, these behaviors deviate from societal norms and more specifically they violate established criminal codes and laws. Juvenile delinquency incorporates not only general criminal activity but conduct that is only unlawful for youths such as running away from home and skipping school.
Current research into this difficult and pressing issue reflects a vast range of theories about, and predictors of delinquency as well as a multitude of strategies to control and reduce overall delinquency. The consensus among practitioners and researchers, however maintains that juvenile delinquency is a dynamic, multifaceted problem with numerous potentially causal factors. Subsequently, investigators and professionals suggest that treatment procedures must focus on not only the immediate issue of the offenders deviant behavior but on some element within the context of that behavior as well, including for example, family relations and social support services/networks.
Conventional practice has long associated early preventive measures with positive delinquency reduction results. In particular, timely recognition of at-risk youth and correction of ineffective or minimally effective parenting techniques are critical to the prevention of future delinquency (Lundman, 1993).
Numerous risk factors have been identified as indicators or predictors of juvenile delinquency and those factors represent dysfunction at several levels, specifically within the structure of the offenders family. Some of these factors include conflict within the family, a lack of adequate supervision and/or rules, a distinct lack of parent-child attachment, instability, poor home life quality, parental expectations, out-of-home placements and inconsistent discipline (Shumaker, 1997). Social service professionals who frequently come into contact with children must be especially vigilant in order to detect the presence of any of the possibly contributory conditions mentioned above and to refer families to appropriate sources of assistance as early as possible.
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Many children are also subject to child support. The current assessment of the risk of juvenile delinquency has identified a number of factors that result in the delinquency of older siblings. First, all children under 16 may be at risk of becoming involved in delinquency (Shumaker, 1997). Second, all children under 16 may be at risk for physical or sexual abuse and violence, including abuse outside of school and/or by parent, siblings in school, and in the home (Borke et al., 1999). Third, many children have been victims of physical or sexual abuse that have been committed by the parents within the last ten years (> 15 years of age). Fourth, many children are also at risk for exposure to mental health issues in childhood, adolescents, older siblings. Finally, most children are at high risk for other developmental abnormalities. Finally, no children at high risk for mental illness or violent behavior have yet been identified, but many have had contact or are on a low income (Munro et al., 1999). These factors can affect their mental health, family relationships and social and economic wellbeing.
4 Social and Economic Factors, Children (Stacey et al., 2012)
Most people think of the social and economic conditions as an environmental disaster, of a “giant social accident.” On the contrary, most of us think of the social and economic factors in terms of “social liability.” The economic costs to society (Gross and Miller, 1970) are the result of society providing for children as much as possible in the immediate aftermath of a major social event. Children’s social resources help them to prepare for future social events. They act to help others in the community to benefit themselves and their children – as a form of social support (Stacey, 2012). Children are also able to survive by providing for themselves and their families, providing financial stability and quality of life (Borke et al., 1999). For the most part, children spend more time caring for those they help, with less or no money to care for themselves. Child support is the primary source of social support for children, including a safe and enjoyable environment, an opportunity to get and maintain education and receive more parental time (Brulley et al., 2012). The social supports of the child is also significant in terms of the social support children give themselves to further their own developmental development. For example, it is estimated that during the fifth grade, the amount of time children spend reading, play, working, or studying together is around 20 hours a week (Borke et al., 1999; Strasser et al., 2011) and for the first three or four years after completion of the curriculum, that figure is around 60 hours. (Child care, however, is not only expensive, but a key component of the child’s psychological quality of life. When the child’s parents move to new neighborhoods, for example, these children will spend much more time with their parents than with their siblings.) Similarly, it is estimated that children contribute to a lot of the money available, especially for caregiving. For example, one-third of children in
Risky children are identified by two types of reports, the first is the non-report. The reason that only one form varies is that only one child might be assessed, a non-report of delinquency. As can be seen above, one child’s situation is a mix of low-grade behaviour and a highly aggressive childhood home life. The second type of report is the reports of delinquent children or delinquent children receiving assistance.
The reasons for the low numbers of children with these reports are unknown and are, at best, confounded with other possible factors. However, most evidence suggests that the reports tend to be more negative, even when the problems are at the same level as the problems reported.
An adult, family and social services professional may perform the following roles in setting and handling young children. They may:
direct the investigation and report of problems that may have led to the child’s delinquency
establish a legal family home, the child’s home and other support for family members
assess the children’s need for social support and to address them
monitor, monitor and communicate with the children’s parents who may be in need of support or may be able to do so in a timely fashion
provide special training tailored to the child’s environment or circumstances
conduct research and research with the child’s social services on factors that would influence the behaviour of her/his parents or the child’s educational and development outcomes
Provide legal advice, referral and legal representation
Provide legal assistance following the children’s release from parents or guardianship if deemed necessary
Identify issues of need or potential need where necessary
Provide special help to the child’s friends, family and staff who may be able to assist
The parent/guardian who may decide to leave the child as soon as they first get on with the child should also get a special help from parent/guardian in their life.
There is no reliable and timely information on who can help children with this type of reporting. Many factors that can impact the availability of family services are also unknown, such as the child’s age in a small area or a family history of depression, including:
health complications and other serious illnesses
a strong need for personal development and treatment – or in the case of children who are being placed in care and supported by a carer, such as for attention deficit disorder or dyslexia and social class
psychosis or other mental illnesses for which no treatment is currently prescribed
any combination of symptoms that can compromise the child’s ability to function
any physical, cognitive and social symptoms
any physical abnormalities for which a doctor is not trained
additional support to prevent the child falling into poverty or to support the child’s growth
children who are physically inadequate or not able to perform the tasks of life
the difficulty of living at home
the difficulty of working
how the child needs to live at home
how she/she may be affected by alcohol, drugs, tobacco or other abuse
the impact
Risky children are identified by two types of reports, the first is the non-report. The reason that only one form varies is that only one child might be assessed, a non-report of delinquency. As can be seen above, one child’s situation is a mix of low-grade behaviour and a highly aggressive childhood home life. The second type of report is the reports of delinquent children or delinquent children receiving assistance.
The reasons for the low numbers of children with these reports are unknown and are, at best, confounded with other possible factors. However, most evidence suggests that the reports tend to be more negative, even when the problems are at the same level as the problems reported.
An adult, family and social services professional may perform the following roles in setting and handling young children. They may:
direct the investigation and report of problems that may have led to the child’s delinquency
establish a legal family home, the child’s home and other support for family members
assess the children’s need for social support and to address them
monitor, monitor and communicate with the children’s parents who may be in need of support or may be able to do so in a timely fashion
provide special training tailored to the child’s environment or circumstances
conduct research and research with the child’s social services on factors that would influence the behaviour of her/his parents or the child’s educational and development outcomes
Provide legal advice, referral and legal representation
Provide legal assistance following the children’s release from parents or guardianship if deemed necessary
Identify issues of need or potential need where necessary
Provide special help to the child’s friends, family and staff who may be able to assist
The parent/guardian who may decide to leave the child as soon as they first get on with the child should also get a special help from parent/guardian in their life.
There is no reliable and timely information on who can help children with this type of reporting. Many factors that can impact the availability of family services are also unknown, such as the child’s age in a small area or a family history of depression, including:
health complications and other serious illnesses
a strong need for personal development and treatment – or in the case of children who are being placed in care and supported by a carer, such as for attention deficit disorder or dyslexia and social class
psychosis or other mental illnesses for which no treatment is currently prescribed
any combination of symptoms that can compromise the child’s ability to function
any physical, cognitive and social symptoms
any physical abnormalities for which a doctor is not trained
additional support to prevent the child falling into poverty or to support the child’s growth
children who are physically inadequate or not able to perform the tasks of life
the difficulty of living at home
the difficulty of working
how the child needs to live at home
how she/she may be affected by alcohol, drugs, tobacco or other abuse
the impact
Generally speaking, the relationship between family conflict and delinquency is significant. There are many types of family conflict but the quality of communication and the inability to solve problems are two of the most fundamental forms relative to future delinquency. The nature of these conflicts is cyclical in that communication and problem-solving breakdowns increase the incidences of delinquency which in turn increase the stress and conflict levels within the family leading to more instances of deviant behavior (Smith & Stern, 1997). Educators, clinicians and other professionals who provide services for children should carefully evaluate reports from children regarding such things as parental fighting, abuse and/or neglect so that they may address those immediate concerns and assess the possible need for preventive intervention.
Structure is very important in the life of a developing child. Most of that necessary structure is provided by the parents/family. Rules or guidelines are inherently part of that structure and careful parental supervision is essential to the derivation and implementation of those rules. For example, children should inform their parents where they are and whom they are with. A parent should be diligent in his/her supervision to the extent that (s)he actually knows the whereabouts of his /her children at all times ( Shumaker, 1997). Service professionals should understand the relationship between lack of supervision/rules in the home and possible future criminal behavior among youths and should be solicitous in their observations.
A growing number of organizations are raising awareness about the need to help children with substance use problems. The Child Adolescent Counseling Consortium (CADC) offers a specialized and in-depth community to educate parents, clinicians, and legal advisors about their role in dealing with the growing child problem. The Council for a Responsible Kidney and Physical Health (CRCPHH) offers the comprehensive set of developmental and parenting strategies/duties that parents can use to help their children with child related issues (Shumaker, 1997).
A significant part of the approach is family involvement in the child’s behavioral history, which can be useful in the management of a child’s problem (Ikea, 2011). These kids’ behavioral history can help them learn about their parentage and make those changes they need. These parents and legal advisors can also learn about the ways that children can change their behavior.
Many other organizations that encourage the development of family-based care (e.g. the Families with Children (FDC) program) and family day care programs (a.k.a. family daycare centers) also offer services under the Child and Family Services (CD) Program. The DAPY’s CD Program provides a unique group of programs geared to the child’s behavioral environment under the supervision of an adult (and other members of the legal system), but for children. Children’s CDs also include educational and social activities designed to meet specific needs (i.e., a healthy child’s participation in school or other activities), parental attention and support, child self-esteem and academic attainment, and self-efficacy.
When the CD Program for children is run, the children are offered the opportunity to meet with these CD participants and learn about some of their own behaviors. The children have the tools to learn more about their parents and to discuss the needs of the community before any plans to take the children themselves are finalized. This can be very helpful in providing the community with a resource for the children to understand what they are feeling. Furthermore, community interaction is a natural part of the CD Program and can allow the children to understand the goals of the program. In addition, they can share information and build a family-friendly coping mechanism.
The child-child relationship needs to be developed from Day 1 of the CD Programs on how to deal with the problem of addiction and other health issues. Also, many parents are surprised by the child’s responses to the programs. Some parents simply do not recognize their child’s behavior. Others perceive the treatment as abusive. Parents also may decide to get the child off with a better option that is easier to follow.
There are numerous studies showing the importance of the CD program for children, and the child needs to be supervised as soon as his/her behavior can be identified. Children who are physically abused can be well suited to a CD program in the future. Children who are physically abused are also well suited for a
Parent-child attachment is also a key factor in the delinquency of a minor. Attachment refers to the process that bonds a child to a parent and is usually completed in infancy. It is generally held that children who are insecurely attached to their parents are more likely to commit crimes. However, there are some therapeutic techniques which can be employed to increase the strength of a relationship throughout childhood (Shumaker, 1997). Researchers suggest that social service workers should pay close attention to a child feeling “unloved” or unimportant as these feelings can be indicative of poor attachments and may lead to juvenile criminality.
Delinquency can further be related to degrees of instability in an offenders life. Instability is generally characterized by stress and the inconstancy in carrying out threats or promises (Patterson, 1986), frequent changes of residence/friends, dramatic changes in the family, sickness, alcoholism (Bennett, 1960), absence of household routine, precarious financial situations, eviction, death, desertion, separation or divorce (Glueck and Glueck, 1950). Attempts should be made by service providers to assess the extent to which a child experiences instability in the home as unchecked instability can contribute to delinquency.
The quality of a childs home life can also positively or negatively affect behavioral outcomes. A home life of poor quality can involve low levels of affection, comfort, supervision and home security (Shumaker, 1997). If quality of a childs home life is deficient then professional intervention will be necessary to address the problem components of the home life. Multiple strategies will have to be employed concurrently and optimal. All members of the family will have to be involved in improving the overall quality of the home environment.
Studies have shown that what parents expect from their children also affects the likelihood of future delinquency. Typically parents who set high but reasonable standards of conduct have children who are less likely to commit crimes (Wilson, 1980; Laybourn, 1986; Glueck & Glueck, 1950). Parents must teach and encourage their children to behave within a certain set of clear and realistic expectations. Children who underachieve in school for example may have parents whose expectations of them are comparatively lower. Child service workers may have to intervene to help parents set limits and positively reinforce appropriate behavior.
The removal from the home and placement of children outside the home has been linked to delinquency among juveniles. Research has suggested that children who are removed from their homes or frequently transferred between foster homes will exhibit higher rates of delinquency (Bennett, 1960; Towberman, 1994). The out-of-home placement factor has the potential to create serious problems for the child