Substance Violence Case Studies

Larry was identified as an overall high risk to re-offend, with moderate high dynamic risk and moderate protective factors. Larry and his family’s strengths and protective factors include family support. Larry and his family specific priority areas that should be targeted to reduce the risk of reoffending include reducing Larry’s criminal activity and involvement and maintaining stabling housing. Larry and his family should target community and peers, attitude and

“Dependent variables are the ones attempting to predict while independent variables are the causes, determines, or precedes in time, the dependent variable” (Hagan, 2010, p.16). The dependent variable in this particular study that Gottfredson and Soule were evaluating was juvenile delinquency. The independent variables in the study were broken down into three separate crimes: property offenses, violent crimes and substance abuse. According to Gottfredson and Soule (2005), juveniles were coded as having used drugs if they admitted to having smoked cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, drunk beer/wine/liquor, or smoked THC in the past year. Subsequently, juveniles were coded as having engaged in property crime if they admitted to damaging or destroying property not belonging to them, theft under and over $50, joyriding or breaking into a building and/or a car. Violent crimes were coded if the juvenile admitted to carrying a weapon, gang fighting, hitting or threatening to hit other peers, or using force to get money (Gottfredson & Soule, 2005, p.5). The hours during the day were broken down into six different categories: Before school, during school, when school let out to 6 PM, 6 PM to midnight, midnight and 6 AM and the weekends. By separating the times out along with the different types of offenses, the authors were able to come to a consensus on their findings, which

Mr. Smith is the inmate’s name that is currently serving a six year sentence for First Degree Robbery and Second Degree Assault. Mr. Smith’s reason for referral for an evaluation is for the Board of Parole with a professional opinion as to Mr. Smith’s suitability for parole and risk to the community for re-offense. Another reason for an evaluation is to update the Parole Board on Mr. Smith’s behavior, mental health condition, and to answer related questions since his last evaluation. To begin Mr. Smith’s evaluation, his mental status indicated that he was cooperative and appropriate throughout the interview process. He kept an appropriate level of eye contact and was willing to express himself.

Bradley R. E. Wright, Avshalom Caspi, Terrie E. Moffitt and Ray Paternoster Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency 2004 41: 180 DOI: 10.1177/0022427803260263 The online version of this article can be found at: http://jrc.sagepub.com/content/41/2/180

Youth choosing to engage in criminal behavior is not a new phenomenon. Youth who choose to do this repeatedly are referred to as re-offenders. The age and the sex of the offender also contribute to the recidivism rate and the types of consequences. Other contributing factors in recidivism include the relationship the youth has with peers or parents, whether they abuse substances, and the racial origins of the young offender. There is a wide spectrum of consequences and different ways in which treatment attempts to aid re-offenders. Re-offenders commit various crimes and differ greatly in their response to treatment.

Prior to placement, a complete biopsychosocial assessment should be given, focusing on drug abuse and history, paying close attention to the 6 months just prior to his incarceration. Additionally, his educational background, support networks, employment history, as well as past attempts at sobriety and any treatments and periods of abstinence should be noted. Additionally, an assessment should be taken of his mental health symptoms, and with proper releases, compared with the jail counseling staff to previous depression/anxiety inventories given prior to the initiation of medication

Studies suggest that young people are often at risk of re-offending (e.g. Sharkey, et al, 2003; Vincent & Seagrave, 2005). Sharkey and his colleagues explained that youth often reoffend since, as they prepare themselves in returning to their respective communities, they are usually confronted by similar situations that had influenced their behaviors prior to committing offenses. Another group of researchers however show that youth engaged in education, employment and other productive endeavors in their communities within 6 to 8 months after their release are less vulnerable to commit another offense (e.g. Keating, et al., 2002, Bullis, et al, 2002, Grossman & Tierney, 2008).

Dynamic risk factors that those factors that can change over time or through the use of an intervention which can assist in determine how likely an individual are to reoffend (Yesberg & Polaschek, 2015). Examples dynamic risk factors include impulse control issues, difficulty in making connections with other people, and getting into delinquency activities such as skipping school. Dynamic factors to predict violence risk has the additional advantage of identifying precursors of violence, telling us about the individual’s current functioning, and identifying for therapist the needs of the individual that require intervention (Andrade, 2009). Static risk factors, on the other hand, are factors that do not change over time and are resistant to

Prior record(s) have a huge impact on the decisions to sentence and the duration of time served. The conclusions in the Criminal Behavior and Mental Health article showed, “There is a distinct advantage when attempting to predict recidivism to employing measures such as the LSI-R, which includes dynamic variables and intervention related criminogenic domains, over a measure purely of fixed characteristics, such as the GSIR; however, if there is discordance between the risk estimates, caution should be exercised and more reliance on the more static historically based instrument may be indicated.” (MILLS & KRONER, P. 155) Meaning that prior records cannot change, they are a static dynamic and will be looked with more emphasis than the risk assessment when determining to release the offender.

The publication shows how the question of race predicts the repeat offending in youths in the state of South Carolina. The authors show how the background, parenting, mental health, disabilities, and the first offense contribute to the variances in recidivism rates in both African-American and Caucasian youths. Prevention implications are used to show how the recidivism can be reduced in both youths. Barrett, D. is the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Research at the Eugene T. Moore School of Education, Clemson University. This publication is relevant due to it showing how recidivism is shown in the youths and the variances that each race can have.

One problem area we will focus on is criminal thinking. According to Barbour (n.d.) criminals often do not feel remorse for their actions. They take on the victim stance. In addition, criminals tend to exhibit the following thinking patterns; “closed channel thinking, ‘good person’ stance, ‘unique person’ stance, fear of exposure, lack-of-time perspective, selective effort, use of power to control, seek excitement first, and take an ownership stance (Barbour, n.d.).” There are several factors that can contribute to criminal thinking. These include early involvement in deviant, antisocial, and criminal conduct; having a childhood that involved neglect, abuse, and/or lack of parental attention and supervision; failure in school or work; and an early introduction to alcohol or drugs. Offenders have a high probability of recidivism if their criminal thinking is not challenged and changed. The National Institute of Justice cited one study which tracked 404,638 prisoners across 30 different states. Through this study, researchers found that once prisoners were released from prison, 56.7 percent were rearrested within the first year and 76.6 percent were rearrested within the first five years (National Institute of Justice, 2014). Due to the high probability of recidivism

This paper will examine and review articles using a three-step process. First, a hand search of 64 joumals across the disciplines of justice, criminal justice, correctional education, psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, social work, special education, general education, and vocational education was completed for the years 1975 to 2004. Second, a computer search was conducted using ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center), PsychLit, general and special education, and criminal justice databases for the years 1975 to 2004. Descriptors used were correctional education, corrections, and juvenile delinquents. Third, bibliographies in identified articles were consulted to expand the research base. Articles included in

The United States is the world’s number one consumer of narcotics and thus 90% of cocaine seized in the U.S. comes from Mexico due to the close geographical boundaries it is easy to smuggle illegal drugs into the U.S. from Mexico. The U.S.’s demand for narcotics and other drugs creates an 18-39 billion dollar market each year, all coming solely from drug sales. Drug violence is a direct result of protecting each business 's product. Cartels like the Zetas use violence to create a “brand” for their franchise. The violent cartels create a sense of fear so no one gets in their way and so others will comply with their wishes and demands.

John, is 52 years old and currently serving a sentence following a conviction of aggravated assault against his step-son. The index offence left John’s victim hospitalised, due to the seriousness of his injuries and as a consequence of John’s alcohol fuelled violent behaviour. John is a persistent violent offender and has past convictions against, his current partner and an ex-partner, for which he has was detained in prison. This evaluation was requested to assess the risk and management of future violent behaviour of John.

I am Sharon Smith here to talk to you today about life as a university student and the many things I have encountered in relation to drugs and alcohol violence over the past years attending university. Drugs and alcohol in an Australian society with young individuals who are fuelled by these substances and chemicals can cause violence within the Australian environment. As an Australian community, we tend to either watch, hear or read what is in the media, and have a knowledge what is going on around us. Peer pressure plays a huge role in today’s youth lives, leading them to temptation or various substances. As some individuals consume these chemicals with no control, they then have no control when turning their emotions into anger, and this may evidently destroy another person’s life, which leads to tragedy.