Delinquency

Jeffrey Hernandez

Learning Objectives

• Delinquency and key terms

• Identify early indicators of Delinquent Behavior

• Correlation between Delinquency and Mental Health

• Value of Interventions at Early Stages of Delinquency

Delinquency?

• What is Delinquency?

• What is a Juvenile?

TerminologyJuvenile - Physiologically immature or undeveloped

Delinquent - A transgressor (wrongdoer) against duty or the law

Intervention - The act, fact, or a method of interfering with the outcome or process (as to prevent harm or improve functioning)

Recidivism - A person's relapse into criminal behavior, often after receiving sanctions or undergoing intervention for a previous crime

List of Assumptions

Juvenile delinquents were of a specific neighborhood.

Juvenile delinquents were of a specific economic status.

Any other examples? (Audience)

What is The Issue?

Juvenile delinquency has been an issue for hundreds of years

Children are easily influenced by their environments and replicate the behavior they see

Identifying these behaviors in its early stages and intervening will be beneficial to the child & our society

Indicators Of Delinquency

Problematic behaviors can vary from child to child as there are many mitigating factors associated with delinquency

Children are often forced to make irrational choices because of poverty, lack of resources, lack of supervision, misdirected motivation, and need

Truancy, running away, early knowledge of sex / sexual acts, and early drug use are key problematic behaviors

Children who partake in these types of activities are subject to child abuse, neglect, drug use, and prostitution (Wilson & Widom, 2010)

Why is School Important?

Pre-school programs have contributed to the prevention of delinquency & problematic behavior in children.

Enhances academic readiness and reduces incidents of delinquent behavior in the future (Reynolds, Suh-Ruu & Topitzes, 2004).

Keeping children engaged in school keeps them away from outside distractions.

School Counselors Can Help

It is critical to conduct interventions during the early stages of this behavior in schools as this is a period of cognitive and academic functionality (Mann & Reynolds, 2006).

Studies show the implementation of early educational programs and support groups promote higher rates of educational attainment and lower rates of problematic behaviors (Reynolds, Suh-Ruu & Topitzes, 2004)

Resources We Have

Social Workers – Licensed Therapist

Child Welfare Agencies

School Resource Officers

Juvenile Court Officials (Court Appointed Special Advocates)

Short Clip From Dr. Phil on CASA

Effective Interventions

Intervention cannot be forceful – Student buy-in

Positive reinforcement

Family Support Hypothesis – The bottom line is that when a parent or parent figure is involved in a child's endeavors, it reduces the chances of outside distractions (Reynolds, Suh-Ruu, & Topitzes, 2004)

Applaud effort toward success – increase confidence

Eric Thomas on Succes - 3:31

Courses of Actions

First Course of Action

Provide interventions at the early stages of delinquency.

Second Course of Action

Provide confidential cognitive behavioral therapy for at risk youth.

Third Course of Action

Provide educational services for families of children with mental, educational, and behavioral disorders so they can understand their child's troubles, limitations, and diagnosis.

Mental Health

Most “delinquents” have drug or alcohol abuse problems, more than half have mental-health problems, and many suffer educational disabilities (Stier, 2009).

Options

In Home Programs

• Probation

• Day Treatment

• House Arrest

Out of Home Programs

• Residential Treatment Centers – Offer group and individual counseling, education, behavior modifications strategies (CBT), and life skills training

Conclusion

Interventions must occur regardless of whom it comes from i.e. programs, educators, counselors, and/or social services.

Intervening diverts the delinquent behavior into more favorable outcomes

REFERENCES

Champion, D.J (2010). The Juvenile Justice System: Delinquency, Processing and the Law (6th ed). Pearson Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.

Diaz, Joseph (Producer). (2009, September, 9). Missouri sets new standard for juvenile detention [Television series episode]. In (Executive producer), Primetime. Boonville: ABC.

Do residential treatment programs work?. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.residentialtreatment411.com/residential-treatment/do-residential-treatment-programs-work.html

Elrod, P. & Ryder, S.R. (2011). Juvenile Justice: A Social, Historical, and Legal Perspective. 3rd Ed. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

Mann, E. A., & Reynolds, A. J. (2006). Early Intervention and Juvenile Delinquency Prevention: Evidence from the Chicago Longitudinal Study. Social Work Research, 30(3), 153-167.

Jacobs-Kenner, J. (2009). William woods university rosa parks center. Unpublished manuscript, Department of Social Work, William Woods University, Fulton, Missouri. Retrieved from http://www.cic.edu/projects_services/epe/william_woods.asp

OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online. Available: http://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/victims/qa02201.asp?qaDate=2010. Released on March 05, 2012.

Pullmann, M. M. (2010). Predictors of Criminal Charges for Youth in Public Mental Health During the Transition to Adulthood. Journal Of Child & Family Studies, 19(4), 483-491. doi:10.1007/s10826-009-9320-8

Reynolds, A. J., Suh-Ruu, O., & Topitzes, J. W. (2004). Paths of Effects of Early Childhood Intervention on Educational Attainment and Delinquency: A Confirmatory Analysis of the Chicago Child-Parent Centers. Child Development, 75(5), 1299-1328. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8624.2004.00742.x

Robers, S., Zhang, J., and Truman, J. (2012). Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2011 (NCES 2012-002/NCJ 236021). National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, and Bureau of Justice Statistics, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Washington, DC.

Siegel, L. J., & Welsh, B. C. (2010). Juvenile delinquency, the core. Belmont: Wadsworth Pub Co.

Stier, Ken. (2009, September 16). Why reforming the juvenile-justice system is so hard. http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1924255,00.html TIME

Stier, Ken. (2009, March 24). Getting the juvenile-justice system to grow up: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1887182,00.html#ixzz170h5ecbm. TIME

Wilson, H.W., & Widom, C. (2010). The Role of Youth Problem Behaviors in the Path From Child Abuse and Neglect to Prostitution: A Prospective Examination. Journal Of Research On Adolescence (Wiley-Blackwell), 20(1), 210-236. dpi:10.1111/j.1532-7795.2009.00624.x