Juvenile Delinquency

Juvenile delinquency

An act committed by a minor that violates the penal code of the government with authority over the area

Three criteria for juvenile delinquency

Offender is below criminal court age, act would be a crime for adults, case handled in juvenile court

Adolescence

A distinct but temporary developmental period between childhood and adulthood marked by risk-taking and peer influence

Frontal cortex

Part of the brain responsible for judgment, planning, and self-control

Why adolescents are more prone to delinquency

Immature brain development, impulsivity, and limited consideration of long-term consequences

Graham v. Florida (2010)

Abolished life without parole for juveniles convicted of non-homicide offenses

Miller v. Alabama (2012)

Ruled mandatory life without parole for juveniles unconstitutional

Montgomery v. Louisiana (2016)

Made Miller ruling retroactive

Status offenses

Acts illegal only because of the offender's age

Examples of status offenses

Truancy, curfew violations, running away, incorrigibility

Difference between delinquency and status offenses

Delinquency is illegal for all ages; status offenses are illegal only for juveniles

Parens patriae

Doctrine stating the state acts as parent and treats juveniles more leniently

Juvenile court jurisdiction includes

Delinquency, dependency, and neglect

Dependency cases

Situations where youth lack proper parental care or supervision

Neglect cases

Situations where youth are harmed by failure to provide basic needs

Youth culture

Shared beliefs, behaviors, symbols, and trends among young people

Primary feature of youth culture

Trends and fads

The Selfie Generation

Youth born after 2000 heavily influenced by media and technology

Youth at risk

Adolescents exposed to multiple negative factors increasing problem behavior

Characteristics of high-risk youth

Poverty, abuse, educational deficits, substance abuse, delinquency

Why delinquent behaviors are linked

Problem behaviors tend to reinforce one another

Deinstitutionalization

Removal of status offenders from secure detention facilities

Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974

Mandated deinstitutionalization of status offenders

Purpose of deinstitutionalization

To serve youth through community and social services rather than incarceration

Crossover youth

Youth involved in both child welfare and juvenile justice systems

Problem with crossover youth cases

Lack of coordination between systems

Colonial Period (1636-1823)

Families were primary source of child control with public punishment

Houses of Refuge Era (1824-1898)

State replaced family authority with harsh discipline

Juvenile Courts Era (1899-1966)

Introduced parens patriae and viewed youth as wards of the state

Juvenile Rights Era (1967-1975)

Ensured due process rights for juveniles

Reform Agenda Era

Focused on diverting juveniles from incarceration

Social Control Era

Emphasized punishment and "getting tough" on crime

Fear of Crime Era

Led to curfews, transfers to adult court, and harsher sentencing

Three approaches to delinquency control

Punishment, treatment, and prevention

Developmental Life-Course Theory

Explains delinquency based on age, risk factors, and life events

Focus of Developmental Life-Course Theory

Risk factors, protective factors, and changes over time

Delinquency and social policy

Uses research to improve youth outcomes

Evidence-based programs

Programs proven effective through research