Juvenile Delinquency and Juvenile Justice Review

Flashcards covering core concepts of juvenile delinquency, criminological theories, policing practices, Supreme Court cases, and juvenile court procedures.

How is prevalence defined in the context of juvenile delinquency?

The total proportion or percentage of a population that commits offenses or experiences a condition within a given time frame (indicating how widespread a behavior is).

How is incidence defined in criminology?

The total number of offenses committed within a population over a given time frame (indicating how frequently crimes occur or the total volume of offending).

What is relative frequency in the study of offending?

The proportion or percentage of a specific offense type compared to the total number of offenses overall.

What is the key takeaway regarding the relative frequency of minor versus serious adolescent offenses?

Minor offenses (such as status offenses, property crimes, and public disorder) vastly outnumber serious and violent offenses, which make up a very small percentage of overall adolescent delinquency.

According to self-report data, what are the most common forms of adolescent misconduct?

Larceny/theft, underage drinking, marijuana use, vandalism, and truancy/school misbehavior.

What general trend has adolescent delinquency followed since the mid-1990s?

Delinquency rates for most forms of youth crime have decreased significantly since peaking around 1993–1994, declining steadily since.

What does the "age-effect" describe regarding criminal behavior?

The relationship showing that criminal behavior tends to increase during early adolescence, peak in the mid-to-late teens (around ages 16–18), and then steadily decline as individuals transition into adulthood (aging out of crime).

What is the age-crime curve?

A graphical representation showing the age-crime distribution, characterized by a spike in offending during adolescence followed by a sharp drop-off.

What are social correlates in criminology?

Variables or factors (such as age, gender, race, peer associations, and socioeconomic status) that are statistically associated with or related to criminal/delinquent behavior, though they do not necessarily cause it directly.

How do crime and delinquency patterns differ by gender across official and self-report data?

Males commit significantly more crime and delinquency than females—particularly for violent and serious offenses—though the gap is narrower in self-report data for minor offenses.

What are the two main parts of a theory?

Concepts and propositions (or logical statements explaining how concepts relate).

What is a theory of delinquency?

A systematic set of ideas and propositions designed to explain, predict, and understand why and how youth engage in delinquent behavior.

What is the core premise of biosocial criminology?

Criminal behavior is a product of complex interactions between biological/genetic factors and environmental/social factors.

What are the three major areas of study in biosocial criminology?

1. Genetics/twin-adoption studies; 2. Neuroimaging/brain structure studies (e.g., prefrontal cortex functioning); and 3. Biochemical/physiological factors (e.g., hormones, neurotransmitters, autonomic nervous system reactivity).

According to Routine Activities Theory, what three basic elements are needed for crime or delinquency to occur?

1. A motivated offender; 2. A suitable target; and 3. The absence of a capable guardian.

What is the main focus of Rational Choice Theory?

It assumes individuals (including juveniles) are rational actors who weigh the potential costs, risks, and rewards of a criminal act before deciding to commit it.

What are the four key elements of Travis Hirschi's Social Bond Theory?

1. Attachment (to parents, peers, school); 2. Commitment (to conventional goals and future success); 3. Involvement (in conventional, prosocial activities); and 4. Belief (in moral validity of societal laws and rules).

How do social learning theories explain the onset of delinquent behavior within peer groups?

Delinquency is learned primarily through social interactions with close peers and role models via differential reinforcement, imitation, and the acquisition of favorable definitions toward delinquency.

What three structural characteristics are central to Social Disorganization Theory?

1. Residential mobility; 2. Ethnic/racial heterogeneity; and 3. Poverty / low economic status.

How is collective efficacy defined in Social Disorganization Theory?

Mutual trust among neighbors coupled with a shared willingness to intervene on behalf of the common good (social control).

What is the central focus of anomie theories regarding delinquency?

How societal structures, cultural goals (like the American Dream), and blocked institutional opportunities (like legitimate jobs or education) generate strain, pressure, and anomie, leading individuals to turn to deviant adaptations (like crime).

Which two primary theories are used to link school experiences to delinquency?

Tracking / Labeling Theory and Strain / School Failure Theory.

What are the two offending patterns identified in Moffitt's Developmental Model?

1. Adolescent-limited offenders (delinquency peaks in adolescence and stops in adulthood); and 2. Life-course-persistent offenders (antisocial behavior begins early in childhood and continues throughout life).

What does the police role entail when handling juveniles?

The function and expectations of police in society, balancing crime control, order maintenance, and social service.

What are the historical styles and shifts associated with policing roles?

The watchman style, legalistic style, and service style (or shifts from early political/corrupt era models to professional-reform models and modern community-oriented policing).

What does "taking into custody" mean in juvenile policing?

The juvenile equivalent of an adult arrest; legally seizing physical control over a juvenile.

What two main types of factors influence police discretion when dealing with juveniles?

Legal factors (seriousness of the offense, prior record) and extra-legal factors (race, gender, socioeconomic status, demeanor, neighborhood context).

Which three methods of law enforcement are addressed most extensively by courts, and under which amendment?

Search/seizure, arrest, and interrogation (or custodial questioning), primarily under the 4th Amendment.

What did the court establish in State v. Lowry (1967)?

It established that the constitutional protection against unreasonable searches and seizures (and the exclusionary rule) applies to juveniles just as it does to adults; juveniles cannot be subjected to unconstitutional police tactics.

What was the ruling in New Jersey v. T.L.O. (1985)?

School officials do not need a search warrant or probable cause to search a student; reasonable suspicion is sufficient given the school's need to maintain a safe learning environment.

What restriction was placed on police use of force in Tennessee v. Garner (1985)?

Law enforcement officers are prohibited from using deadly force against fleeing unarmed, non-dangerous felony suspects unless necessary to prevent escape and a clear threat of death or serious injury exists.

What are the three main preliminary decisions or determinations made in juvenile court?

1. Whether to file a petition (intake decision); 2. Whether to detain the youth prior to adjudication; and 3. Whether to transfer/waive the youth to adult criminal court (or dismiss/divert the case).

What is the definition of juvenile detention?

The temporary secure confinement of a juvenile in a locked facility prior to adjudication or disposition.

Who makes the initial decision regarding whether to detain a youth?

An intake officer, probation officer, or judge.

What factors influence the initial detention decision for a juvenile?

Seriousness of the current offense, prior offense history, threat to public safety, risk of flight, and availability of parents/guardians.

Which agencies typically operate juvenile detention centers?

Local county governments, juvenile probation departments, or state juvenile justice agencies.

Which organization developed and leads the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI) nationally?

The Annie E. Casey Foundation.

What are the three main categories of transfer provisions used to send juveniles to adult court?

Judicial waiver (discretionary/mandatory), statutory exclusion (legislative waiver), and concurrent jurisdiction (prosecutorial discretion).

What is the oldest transfer provision used in the juvenile justice system?

Judicial waiver.

What is a reverse waiver in juvenile justice?

A provision allowing a youth whose case originated in adult court (due to statutory exclusion) to petition the court to have their case transferred back down to juvenile court.

Does transferring juveniles to adult criminal court prevent crime or reduce recidivism?

No; research consistently shows that transfer to adult court generally increases recidivism compared to keeping youth in the juvenile justice system.

What is a petition in juvenile court?

A formal legal document/charging instrument filed in juvenile court alleging that a youth is delinquent or in need of supervision.

What takes place during an intake conference in juvenile court?

An informal meeting between an intake officer (probation officer), the juvenile, and parents to determine whether to file a petition, divert the case, or dismiss it.

What is a referral to juvenile court, and what is its primary source?

It formally initiates the juvenile court process; the majority of referrals come from law enforcement (police officers).

What academic credentials and institution are mentioned in the bonus question?

Ph.D. (2025), M.S. (2018), and B.S. (2015) in Criminology from Florida State University.