Juvenile Crime and Delinquency

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to juvenile crime and delinquency as discussed in the lecture.

Status offenses

Offenses that are illegal only due to the age of the offender, such as truancy or running away.

Truancy

Failure to attend school; a status offense that has risen due to school disengagement.

Juveniles tried as adults

All 50 U.S. states have provisions allowing juveniles to be tried in adult courts under certain conditions.

Child delinquent

A person typically between the ages of 7 and 12 who begins committing offenses.

Child delinquents studied by Loeber et al. (2003)

Are two to three times more likely to become serious violent and chronic offenders than adolescents who start offending later.

Psychological definitions of delinquency

Emphasize persistent patterns of conduct disorder and antisocial behavior.

Major categories of unlawful acts

Include property offenses, public order offenses, and status offenses.

PINS

Person In Need of Supervision; laws that allow for the protection of juveniles not involved in criminal activity.

Serious juvenile offenders

Often show social skill deficits and poor emotional regulation.

Gender differences in status offenses

Research suggests gender differences in offending are influenced by socialization rather than biology.

Life-course persistent offenders

Individuals who exhibit antisocial behavior from childhood into adulthood.

Successful intervention programs

Should not rely solely on peer groups as models for change.

Adolescent-limited offenders

Typically commit most youth crime during their teenage years.

Conduct disorders and temperaments

Often found in life-course persistent offenders.

Coercive perspective of behavior

Suggests boys and girls receive different social reinforcements for antisocial behavior.

Secondary prevention

Works with children showing early signs of aggressive or antisocial behavior to prevent delinquency.

Universal prevention

Aims to prevent delinquent behavior before any signs emerge, targeting the general population.

Fast-Track Experiment

A selective prevention program targeting high-risk children through developmental strategies.

Callous-unemotional traits

Characteristics that include lack of empathy and emotional coldness, not related to minor status offenses.

Strength-based programs

Focus on building resilience and positive skills in youth.

Restrictive intervention

Secure institutional treatment of juveniles who have committed serious offenses.

Waaktaar et al.'s resilience factors

Include positive family relations and self-efficacy.

Steinberg’s dual-systems model

Based on brain development, explaining risk-taking behavior in adolescents.

Emerging adulthood

Period where individuals delay adult commitments, typically ages 18-25.

Risk-taking in adolescence

Highest when adolescents are with peers.

Multisystemic therapy (MST)

Targets multiple systems influencing youth behavior, such as family and school.

Focus of MST

Improving family functioning and parental supervision.

Patterson’s Coercion Developmental Theory

Emphasizes the impact of parenting practices on the development of antisocial behavior.

Externalizing disorders