Juvenile Justice System Exam #2

Pre- Enlightenment Beliefs

People commit crime because of forces beyond their control. Crime is caused by the supernatural. Evil forces made people commit crime. Punishments were harsh.

Pre-Enlightenment punishment examples

Exorcism, burning, drowning, beheading

Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)

People are selfish and greedy, but rational. People will organize themselves into a society with rules of conduct. Voluntarily enter into a social contract to abide by rules in exchange for protection.

Social Contract

We voluntarily give up opportunities, privileges, and freedom for our protection.

Classical School - Early Schools of thought about crime

Figures such as Jeremy Bentham and Cesare Beccaria. Individual-level theory. Assumes people have free will, choose to commit crime, and are rational.

Positivist School - Early school of thought about crime

assumes some external factor(s) affects if a person chooses to commit to crime. Some external factor(s) affects if a person chooses to commit crime.

Example of definitions created in the positivist school

Biological positivism, psychological positivism, and sociological positivism

Cesare Beccaria (1738-1794)

Known as the “father” of the classical school and deterrence theory. He promoted the idea that how people act is a choice. He also argues for punishment to be an effective deterrent, it must be swift, certain, and severe (but proportionate to the crime)

Classical School Criticism Led to Biology-Focus

This school does not explain all crimes or offenders

Biological Determinism

Biology is responsible for criminal behavior. Certain people and groups were more likely to commit crime'; offered support for eugenics (selective breeding).

Craniometry

study of the size of the brain or skill to determine intellectual capacity. Belief of the size of your brain is the size of your skull that will determine intellectual.

Samuel Morton

recorded measurements of human skulls to confirm differences in brain size. If your brain is small.

Phrenology

Study of bumps/ incidents on a person’s skull to determine an individual’s personality, character, or intelligence

Cesare Lombroso

Argued that criminals are physically different from non-offenders. Created/tested the first scientific theory of crime to examine stigmata.

William Sheldon

Argued body type predicts likelihood of engaging in crime. Argued most offenders have mesomorphic body.

Mesomorphic

If your tall/ muscular. More likely to commit crime (only men)

Psychological

Examine mental and emotional processes that shape their behavior

Sigmud Freud

Behavior is based on elements of the personality (id, ego, superego)

ID

present at birth, basic needs and drives

Ego

Rational, weigh the real consequences

Supergo

moral conciousness

What happens when there’s an imbalance id, ego, and superego

When there’s an imbalance of these three, you commit crime

Biosocial

examines biological factors and social/ environmental influences to shape behavior

Biosocial example

influence of diet, hormones, toxins

Sociological Theories

Argue that crime is shaped by external factors to the individual

What are the different sociological theories

Social Learning Theory, Social Control Theory, Life Course Theory, General Strain Theory

Sutherland’s differential association theory

An example of social positivism holds that social interaction and learning cause crime. The theory is based on premises similar to classical conditioning. An unconscious process where an automatic, conditioned response becomes associated with a specific stimulus (ex., sound)

9 Position

Contact with criminal persons, contact with conforming persons, successful transmission of (criminal definitions, attitudes, rationalization techniques), criminal behavior likely, criminal behavior unlikely, successful transmission of conventional definitions, attitudes, values, techniques, association with criminal behavior, attitudes that justify law violation are reinforced. Association with conforming behavior.

Sutherland’s differential association theory

criminal behavior is learned…in interactions with others…primarily intimate groups…and length/ strength of out vary

Learning criminal behavior includes

techniques, motives, drives, attitudes, rationalizations…that shaped if we see laws as favorable or unfavorable

A person becomes delinquent because of an excess of definitions in favor of law definitions (leads to agreement reality), an excessive amount of definitions that are okay with committing crime will lead to crime.

true

Control Theory Assumptions

The more closely you are to someone, the less likely you are to want to disappoint them. This theory asks why a person DOESN’T COMMIT CRIME.

All people would commit crimes if it weren’t for restraints

True - Major Assumptions

Hirschi’s social bond theory (1969)

Most people’s behavior is affected by social bonds (relationships with others). Social bonds consist of 4 elements.

Attachments

how close we are to someone's parents, family, and friends.

Commitment

degree to which you conform to pro-social activities. Degree to which you conform in society.

Involvement

The amount of time you are engaged with activities

Belief

Belief in conventional norms and values. Personal beliefs on what you should engage in.

If attachment, commitment, involvement, beleif is strong

then you are less likely to commit a crime

Overview of Life Course Theories

What happens when your younger self really impacts who you are when you're older? Focus on the individual. Examine how offending changes over time. Analyze events/ behavior during a person’s lifetime. Assumes behavior can change depending on the person. They look at specific milestones and focus on behavior.

Sampson & Laub;s age-graded informal social control model (1990)

Crime is more likely when a person’s bonds, forming during a turning point (life-altering events), lead people to stop offending.

The important milestones that decreases crime

military service, marriage, employment, having children

Moffitt’s Developmental Theory (1993)

Explain patterns of antisocial and criminal behavior over the life course

Abstainers

Refrain from all antisocial, delinquent, and criminal behavior. Smartest: those who have never committed a crime. Over-controlled.

Adolescent-limited offender

engage in antisocial, delinquent, and criminal behavior temporarily during teens years + stop before adulthood

Life-course persistent offender

engage in antisocial, delinquent, or criminal behavior throughout their entire lives

Agnew’s General Strain Theory (1992)

Try to explain every type of crime. People are pressured crime through strain (events or conditions disliked by an individual). ____ leads to negative emotions (e.g. anger, frustration, depression). Anger is particularly likely to lead to crime.

3 Types of STRAIN

Removal or loss of positively valued stimuli -lose something of value, Presentation of negative stimuli -treated negatively, failure to achieve a positively valued goal- can’t achieve a desired outcome.

Family and Delinquency

Linked between the family and delinquent outcomes

Factors that may play a role

Family structure or composition, Unstable home environments, Family processes, child maltreatment (abuse or neglect), attitudes and behaviors supportive of criminality, incarcerated parents.

Family Structure

Refers to the composition of a family. Family life has changed over time. Rate of marriage has declines, people marry at older ages; the rate of having children has declined; people have children at older ages.

Family Structure varies by race

Opportunities become different based in how a person is raised.

Two married parents

most common arrangement for all but 1 race

Black children are most likely to live

with mother only. And have the highest rate of living with no parents

Family Processes

Refers to interactionns and exchanged within a family

Attachment in family process

Degree of closeness to a family member. Less likely to be delinquent around the person

Supervision

Direct or indirect observations of a juvenile’s actions

Conflict in family processes

disagreement or tension between family members

discipline in family processes

Regulation of conduct, including punishment. The way a family punishes wrongdoing.

Child Maltreatment

abuse and neglect under the age of 18. Young children under the age of 1.

Neglect in Child Maltreatment

Depriving or failing to provide for a child’s needs

Abuse in Child Maltreatment

Overt Aggression. May be physical, psychological/ emotional, or sexual.

What gender is more likely to face physical abuse

males

what gender is more likely to face emotional abuse?

females

Exposure to abuse & neglect

Youth are at an increased risk of physical, psychological, and emotional harm compared to adults. Predicts later substance abuse, mental health disorders, and adult criminality behavior

Abuse

is a stronger predictor of delinquency than neglect

Foster Care

Shortage of foster care families. Neglect, drug abuse, and inability to raise children are among the top reasons for foster care placement.

Runaways

A minor who leaves their parent or guardian without permission or has been dismissed by their parent.

How many youths run away yearly?

1.6 - 2.8 million youth run away

Endangered Runaways

Are more likely to be the victim or offender of crime or abuse

Definition of Endangered runaways

youth under age 18 away from home without the permission of parent(s) or legal guardian(s)

Children of Incarcerated Parents

Black + Latinx children are more likely than white children to have incarcerated parents. Most children live with other family members. Most children do not see their parents. These youth have increased odds of engaging in crime and becoming justice-involved compared to peers.

What is the graduation rates for public schools in the United States?

87%

Funding for public schools

Budget determined by local, state, and federal government. Funding essentially affects class sizes, teachers, retention =, student resources, and upkeep of facilities

School Experiences

School can increase or decrease delinquency. All youth experience school differently. School may be a safe or unsafe place. School may have a sufficient or insufficient budget for student services. School may be fully staffed or understaffed.

Effects of School Structure

Most schools use a tracking system based on perceived academic abilities. Youth may feel alienated from school, which leads to an increase of delinquency + school failure.

Arguments for School Structure

more effective teching; maximizes student potential. Grouping like-minded people together.

Arguments against School Structure

Reproduces inequality, segregation, and negative social and psychological effects. A lot of students lose more confidence when they’re told by others they are not fit to be in the “normal” class.

School of Failure

The quality of the school has gone down. 32% of public-school students are a grade level behind + 5.3% (2.1 million) drop out. School failure is linked to delinquency.

Three links of school failure to delinquency

Direct, Indirect, Suprious

Directness of School Failure to delinquency

increases the odds of delinquency. Delinquent students are more likely to experience school failure.

Indirectness of School Failure to delinquency

school failure affects attachment (feelings) to school which affects delinquency.

Spurious of school failure to delinquency

some external factor (eg.gender) makes it look like school failure and delinquency are related

Common types of School Violence

Bullying and Sexual Harassment

Bullying

When someone intentionally and repeatedly does or says hurtful things to someone who is less powerful in some way than the aggressor

What level in school has the most common type of school violence pertainting to bullying

middle school

Increasing rates of cyberbullying

use of technology to harass, threaten, embarrass or target another person

Sexual Harassment

Unwelcome, repeated, or deliberate sexual behavior that creates a hostile environment.

2024 statistic about sexual harassment in schools

11% of students said that people have tried to have sex with them in school.

Fatal Injuries

Injuries that lead to the death of an injured person. Usually involves firearms that may be used in the commission of homicide or suicide.

Non-fatal injuries

bodily harm caused by an external force (more common than fatal injuries).

Example of fatal injuries

School shootings

Example of Non-fatal injuries

bullying, theft, sexual harassment, and assault

2022 Statistic about Injuries in schools

22 victimizations per every 1,000 students

School Shootings

Most people who commit a mass shooting at school tell others about their plan + use a weapon taken from a family member.

One-size-fits-all approach

to stop shootings may be ineffective. Shooters have various motivations, risk factors, and targets

Threat Assessment Procedures

strategies for identifying, evaluating, and managing potential threats

Zero Tolerance Policies

Strict enforcement of school rules against behaviors deemed undesirable. Most schools have policies about weapons, drugs, and problematic behavior (eg. disruption)

Gun-Free Schools Act (1994)

Expel kids for 1 year who bring a gun to school. Schools are mandated to report that a gun was brought to the school and refer students to the juvenile justice system.

School to Prison Pipeline

Children are funneled out of public schools and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems. Suspensions and explusions indirectly fuel the pipeline