BRIEF SUMMARY OF CONCEPT
Pathways of Delaware (Pathways), a subsidiary of Molina Healthcare, is the leading alternative education provider in the state of Delaware with a body of expertise in the mental health and Healthcare fields .Our programmatic model is founded upon our hallmark social-emotional supports and educational services. We serve a high risk student population.
Research suggests that delinquent youth often have multiple socio-emotional and health related risk factors (e.g. a 10-year-old exposed to six or more violent acts is 10 times as likely to commit a violent act by age 18 as a 10-year-old exposed to only one risk factor.) (Herrenkohl, et al, 2000.)
Good health and nutrition habits are inconsistent amongst at risk youth
Incidents like abuse from family members, bullying, neglect, and sexual abuse are the most common. Repeated abuse can lead to psychological damage and emotional scarring. Not only are traumatic psychological experiences causing these juveniles to commit violent crimes. Situations, where children have poor education, a household without discipline, peer pressure, inadequate role models, low income, and substance abuse coupled with the wrong environment, can lead to a life of crime. These negative influences guide these juveniles on the wrong path towards crime. However, it does not mean these juveniles cannot succeed; it is however up to the juvenile to make the correct choices in their
By using this particular analysis method, the authors were able to demonstrate the importance of situational, time-varying factors as a means to explain delinquent behaviors. The results of the study, according to Gottfredson and Soule (2005) revealed that 7.8% reported drug use, 7.4% reported property crime, and 21.6% reported any crimes against persons. I found the rates a bit high for crimes against persons but this appears to be due in part to the fact that the threat to hit another student was included here. The study revealed that drug use and property crimes occurred more frequently on the weekends than any other time. Crimes against a person often occurred during and after school. How could this be? When broken down further, youth are confined to smaller spaces during school hours which often leads to additional peer pressures to fight. Property crimes were elevated prior to school, as well.
Juvenile delinquent behavior is believed to be under-represented due to the limited methods of collecting juvenile crime data. Juvenile arrests accounted for 16 percent of all violent crime arrests (i.e. murder, rape,
Risk factors for juvenile delinquency have been identified from multiple studies. These risk factors are different for older and younger juveniles. When focusing on the individual juvenile between the ages of
Such risk factors increase by how young the juvenile offender is during their violent offenses (Howell, et al., 2014). One group of experts on evidence-based juvenile justice systems argues that, despite the relatively small proportion of the juvenile justice population that serious violent cases account for, they should be a priority for systems when allocating meager funding (Howell, et al., 2014). Chronic violent offenders, though small in numbers, account for the majority of all violent offenses, as backed by two self-report studies. One study in Rochester revealed that, “the chronic violent offenders constituted only 15 percent of the total sample, yet self-reported having committed 75 percent of all of the violent offenses reported in the entire sample” (Howell, et al., 2014, page 13). Meanwhile, in a Denver study, the chronic violent offenders constituted only 14 percent of its total sample, yet self-reported having committed 82 percent of all of the violent offenses reported in the entire sample (Howell, et al., 2014).
Based on the social disorganization theory; Shaw and McKay account for high crime begins with poverty, low socioeconomic status and the inability to “control the teenage population,” (Sampson, 2016). Shaw and McKay also knew that within the community, delinquency was a trait that was picked-up by and from other delinquents. Furthermore, if the ability to control young
In recent years, data has been conducted and studied to examine the increasing difficulties in juvenile delinquencies. Since 2002, a team of researchers conducted a study to examine the statistical outcomes of juveniles partaking in or the ones who have been affected by crime. Data has shown that approximately 1 in 4 students have been tangled into a violent encounter and 1 in 6 have reported carrying a weapon to school (Salas-Wright, Nelson, Vaughn, Gonzalez, & Córdova, 2017). Juvenile delinquency can occur at any place and a large majority of juvenile delinquency begins in school. Juveniles rely greatly on their peers because they are influenced and tend to follow what their peers usually do or say.
Determining risk factors is essential for establishing programs for youth to keep them from committing crimes that introduce them to the juvenile justice system. Additionally, successful programs can keep youth from re-entering the system for committing further offenses. Statistics show that there is a correlation between juvenile delinquency and the living conditions in which the youth are being raised (http://www.rikidscount.org). The Rhode Island Kids Count website, which provides independent, credible, comprehensive statistical information about Rhode Island's children, identify some risk factors for a youth’s involvement in the juvenile justice system to include cognitive impairments, learning disabilities, abuse or neglect, living in communities with high levels of violence, and having associations with other delinquent youth. (http://www.rikidscount.org). A teen’s social environment is very influential on their behaviors. This environment includes their school life with peers, their social life with friends, and their home life with their families. While parents are the first and arguably the most important influence on children, peers and friends play a large role as well. Substance abuse and lack of moral guidance have been shown to factor into youth displays of delinquent behaviors as well, according to the Criminology Resource Center at Regis University (2016). Children
Researches have continuously tried to explain why people commit crime and engage in juvenile delinquency. Over the past century, many theories have emerged and been adopted as the main contributing factors for why juveniles engage in deviant behaviors. Some theories, such as
When a juvenile commits a crime, it is not considered a crime, however it is considered juvenile delinquency. A massive problem throughout the US is juvenile delinquent acts. Juveniles acting out in a delinquent manner can be caused by many things. However, there is not just one reason why a juvenile may commit these acts. Instead there are many reasons that could lead up to delinquency. In this essay, I will be discussing a few theories as well as ways juveniles may receive treatment.
There is a moderate portion of juvenile law violations that are minor; however some young offenders are extremely dangerous and violent. (Caldwell, 2002) Studies have shown that most delinquent behavior stems from some sort of underlining issue or issues in a youth’s present or past history. State and county authorities must deal with these offenders while also responding to their personal social problems. This could range from child abuse and neglect, family issues and drug abuse, exposure to pornography and exposure to aggressive role models.
When viewing delinquency through the lens of age, it is observed that the prevalence of offending tends to increase from late childhood, peak in the teenage years (from 15 to 19) and then decline in the early 20s (Farrington and Petechuck, 2013). This bell-shaped age trend, often called the age-crime curve, is, according to Farrington and Petechuk (2013), universal in Western populations. However, when offenses are broken down into specific categories, the age-crime curve tends to vary from the one just mentioned. For example, the curve for violence tends to peak later than that for property crimes (Blokland, Arjan and Palmen, 2012). Girls peak earlier than boys (Farrington, 1986). The curve is higher and wider for young males (especially
Juvenile offending is a major problem in society. Understanding the risk factors that contribute to the increased likelihood of a juvenile to engage in delinquency is important. There are many factors that can influence the increased risk of juvenile delinquency. These factors include poverty, low socioeconomic status, age (Jarjoura, Triplett, & Brinker, 2002), race, gender (Lucero, Barret, & Jensen, 2015), education (Lucero, Barret, & Jensen, 2015; Jarjoura, 1993), and family structure (Anderson, 2002; Kierkus & Hewitt, 2009). It is important to examine if some risk factors can contribute more than others and to what extent they interact with one another. This paper will discuss three important risk factors that contribute to the likelihood of juveniles engaging in deviant acts. The three risk factors discussed are poverty, family structure, and educational attainment. In addition, this paper will demonstrate how these three risk factors interact with one another, resulting in a higher propensity for involvement in juvenile delinquency.
In the United States, juvenile delinquency is becoming a major problem in the communities across the country. Because of the actions that these juveniles engage in on a regular basis, taxpayers across the country are having to shell out hundreds upon thousands of dollars to rehabilitate these children in order to help them make better choices. This leads citizens to wonder what factors actually cause juveniles to live a life of crime rather than success. In short, there are three main factors that often cause children to live a life of crime. These three factors are social influences, psychological characteristics, and academic potential.
The social environment of teens holds an enormous influence on how the teens act and behave. Teens are easily influenced by their surroundings and they look to others for guidance. Their behavior results from that of the parent and peer influences. Parents play a particularly influential role in their child’s life and it is up to them to make sure that they are leading their sons or daughters in the right directions. A teen’s peers also play a large role in how the teen behaves when the parents are not around. A teen’s social environment, consisting of family and peers, plays a vital role in their life, therefore becoming the ultimate cause of juvenile delinquency.