Juvenile Justice

Juvenile Justice Chapter 6 Serious, Chronic and Violent Offenders

Definitions • Serious Juvenile Offender • Has one or more UCR Part I Offense conviction(s) • Serious Child Delinquent • Is between the ages of 7 and 12 and has one or more UCR Part I Offense conviction(s) • Chronic Juvenile Offender • Has a record of 5 or more separate charges of delinquency, regardless of offense • Violent Juvenile Offender • Conviction of UCR Part I Violent Offense against person • Has prior adjudication of violent offense • OR Conviction of murder

Chronic Juvenile Offenders • Chronic offending has two elements: • Frequency of offending • Length of time over which offending persists • Proportions of Chronic Offenders • Varies from study to study • Amount of crime varies by ethnicity: • non-white offenders account for majority of serious delinquency • Higher in Males • First-time Offenders • Onset of criminal behaviors at age 10 or below tend to have more serious violent offending in adolescence and early adult • Another study set age at 12 years or younger 2-3 times more likely to become serious violent offenders

Chronic Juvenile Offenders • Risk Factors for Recidivism • Males with low socio-economic status • History of Juvenile offenses at younger ages • Physically or sexual abuse • Raised in single-parent households • Significant Family problems • Delinquent peers • History of Special Education classes • Strongest Predictors, include age of first commitment, contact with law enforcement & non-severe pathology

Violent Juvenile Offenders • Onset of Trajectories for Youth Violence • Early, before puberty • Late, begins in adolescence • Generally commits more crimes for longer period of time. • Pattern of escalating violence through childhood, and sometimes through adulthood • 30-40% males & 15-30% females report having committed a serious offense by age 17

Violent Adolescent Females • Girls generally enter JJS through Status Offenses • Violence in adolescent females often the result of a combination of substance abuse, victimization, economic conditions and dysfunctional family life • Females tend to perpetrate violence as a result of their own victimization

Predictors of Youth Violence • Exposure to Violence • Early Aggressive behaviors • Early delinquency • Animal Abuse • Children who are victims or witness violence • Social forces: prejudice, economic inequality, attitudes toward violence • Ineffective Parenting: Lack of supervision • Accepting violence as normal • Violent Peers

Myths About Youth Violence • Future Offenders can be identified in early childhood • Child abuse and neglect always leads to violent behavior later in life • African-American and Hispanic youth are more prone to violence than any other racial group • Super-predators threaten the U.S. • Trying youth as adults reduces youth crime • Nothing works with preventing youth violence • Most violent youth will be arrested violent crimes

Antisocial Personality Disorders • APA DSM IV TR definition: • Over 18 years old who show evidence of conduct disorder before age 15. See pg. 174 • Conduct Disorder • Prolonged antisocial behavior that can range from truancy to fistfights • Difficulty following rules • Viewed as mentally ill • Aggression to people and animals • Destruction of property • Lying and stealing • Serious violations of rules

Guns and Juveniles • More than 4,000 youth die of gun violence every year • Teenager more likely to die as a result of gunshot wounds • Boys who own guns for protection are more likely to be involved with juvenile delinquency than boys who own guns for sport or do not own guns

Decline in Juvenile Arrests for Violent Index Crime • 1994 or 1995, depending on the study showed that violent crime among youth peaked during these periods at approximately 800,000 Violent Index Crimes • By 2000, Violent Index Crime had significantly decreased to about 98,900 • Decline in violence was attributed to: • Strong economy, • changing demographics, • changes in the market for illegal drugs and use of firearms, • expanded imprisonment, • policing innovations and • growing tolerance for violent behavior

School Crime and Violence • School violence is decreasing • Youth carrying guns to school decrease from 12% to 6% • Bullying has two key components, repeated harmful acts and imbalance of power • 1.6 million youth in grades 6-10 are bullied at least once weekly • Physical: • Verbal: • Psychological • Sexual

School Crime and Violence • School shootings • 2/3 of 37 attackers felt bullied in school • Shooters usually gave subtle clues before attack • 75% of the 37 shooters disclosed their plans to classmates prior to shooting • Myths about shooters • School violence is an epidemic • All shooters are alike • School shooter is a loner • Shootings are exclusively revenge motivated • Easy access to weapons is most significant risk factor • Unusual or aberrant behaviors, interests or hobbies are hallmarks of students destined to become shooters

Gang Violence • Street gangs acquire their power in the community through violent behaviors • The 2000 National Youth Gang Survey reported 24,500 gangs with about 772,500 members active in 3,330 jurisdictions • Number of gangs have been decreasing, except for female gangs • Definitions: Ongoing group of people that have a common name or identifying sign or symbol, form of alliance for a purpose to engage in illegal activity

Gang Violence • Street gangs engage in criminal activity either individually or as a group • Youth gang is a sub-set of a gang • Commit a full range of street crimes ranging from property to violent crimes • Reasons for gang membership include • Need for security, • Love, friendship • Acceptance food • Shelter. Discipline • Belonging status • Respect • Identification • Power • Money

Gang Violence • Scavenger gangs • No common bond beyond impulsive behavior • Leadership changes frequently • Prey on weak inner city • Crimes tend to petty, senseless and spontaneously • Organized/Corporate Gangs • Strong leaders or managers • Discipline akin to fortune 500 Corporations • Crimes tend to highly organized; racketeering, drug trafficking

Gang Violence • Hedonistic gangs • Focus on having a good time • Instrumental gang • Focus on making money, property crimes, uses violence for material gain • Predatory Gang • Commits more violent crimes against persons including robberies and muggings. • Likely to use crack-cocaine • Gang Recruitment • Ceremony: jumping in, turning or courting • Gang Organizational Chart; Page 199

Gang Violence • Myths About Gangs • Myth: Majority of street gang members are juveniles • Fact: Most juvenile gang members make-up for a small minority of membership. • Myth: ALL street gangs are turf oriented • Fact: Only some claim specific territory, while others operate in multiple locations. • Myth: Gang weapons usually consist of chains, knives and tire irons. • Fact: Uzis, AK47’s and semiautomatic weapons are the weapons of choice for most gang members • Myth: ALL gang have one leader and are tightly knit • Fact: Most gangs are loosely knit groups and likely to have several leaders • Myth: One way to cure gang membership is to by locking them up. • Fact: Incarceration and rehabilitation of hard-core gang members has not proven to be effective. Prisons seem to be higher-learning for on going gang related crimes. • Myth: Gangs are a law enforcement problem. • Fact: Gangs are a problem for everyone

Public Health Model & the Juvenile Justice Perspective • Juvenile violence is seen as a public health issue • The Contagion Metaphor of the Public Health model sees violence as a disease that spreads rapidly in hot-spots. Youths are victims of social forces and therefore should be treated • The Juvenile Justice Model sees violence as the result of the youth’s free choice and should be punished like a criminal

Juvenile Justice