Soc 224

Who classifies as “youth?”

* Specific __time in life__
* Based on __social status__ rather than age (has not achieved full economic and social independence)
* __Socially constructed__
* By __law__

Youth & deviant

* Perceived to have __lifestyles centered around ‘deviance’__
* Large part of the __transition__ from childhood to adulthood is through deviance (crossing the boundaries)
* Deviant __collectively__ rather than individually.

Troubling youth (as a risk)

primarily a threat to others and to society

Troubled youth (at risk)

*  primarily a threat to themselves
* At any moment, they may become troubling youth (a threat to others if we don’t address their issue) => school shooter

Three dominant ways to count crime or describe crime patterns and trends

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* __Official (police-reported) statistics__
* CCJS, UCR, etc.
* Uniform way
* __Victimization surveys__
* Most crimes are not reported because they don’t report that to the police
* Afraid of victimization
* __Self-report studies__
* Ask ppl if they have committed crime recently
* Anonymous
* Thus ppl will be more likely to report
* If we missed crime in official statistics or victimization surveys

Why victimization studies cannot report everything?

* The person may not know they are victimized
* Victimless crime (drug use)

Problems with Crime Rates?

* Often deployed with a __limited understanding__ of sociological, demographical, criminological, and legal processes  => significantly affect crime rates
* We need to read changes on crime stats in a __cautious and critical way__

How to (critically) read changes in crime rates…

* Change in __incidence__

OR

* Change in __definition__?
* Definition in law
* Change in __classification__?
* Classification of certain crimes
* If we classify some crimes as less serious => that crime may increase
* Change in __tolerance__?
* Change in __reporting/charging practices__?
* Hate crimes, sexual assault
* Change in legal __priorities__?
* Change in __exposure__?

Youth Crime statistics in Canada

* Since 1992 => steady downward trend in youth crime
* Overrepresentation of youth (12-17)

What should be more focus on in Youth crime Canada?

Should dedicate greater concern to youth and child **victimization**

Youth at risk (troubled)

* Youth who are victimized by cyberbullyi__ng__ => be pushed toward other troublesome behaviors (__**substance use)**__
* Bullying is a form of strain that lead to negative emotion

Substance usage trend in youth

* Substance use among youth peaked in the 1970s => steadily declined
* Peaked again in the early 1990s => declined once again
* Most significant decline => __**due to tobacco use**__

3 most commonly used substances 

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* alcohol 
* e-cigarettes 
* cannabis 

Tobacco Use

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* Today __**few**__ Canadian youth are smokers => stark contrast to the late 1970s
* Youth smoking is __**socially controlled**__
* Smoking in __**movies**__ has __greater__ impact on youth smoking than tobacco advertising
* Hollywood and the tobacco industry => __long-established relationship__

Tobacco industry

* Faced __retroactive__ measures of social control
* Have to show all of their documents

e-Cigarette Use

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* Decline in youth smoking => due to rapid increase in the use of e-cigarettes
* Different motivations for vaping
* __**cloud chasers**__
* __**substitutes**__
* Governments have been __criticized__ for their slow implementation of vaping legislation

cloud chasers

* smoke as a hobby
* learn tricks they can perform

substitutes

smokers or former smokers who started vaping to reduce the stigmatization they faced as smokers

Drug Use

* __Common conversation__ => “drug” is often used to refer to those substances that are illegal
* alcohol and nicotine are both drugs
* Most common drug = marijuana
* If you hang out with individuals who use drugs => you’re more likely to use drugs

What is the greatest cocern of “troubled youth”?

Drug usage

Reasons for drug usage

* Relieve stress
* Form of escape
* Social activity

__**=> common reasons for most of the population**__

* Satisfying curiosity
* Showing independence
* Becoming part of a specific peer group

__**=> unique for youth, oftentimes don’t appear in adults**__

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How others’ usage of drugs can affect you

* Individual
* Genetic & environment
* Gang involvement
* Community
* Norms
* Economic conditions
* Family
* Parenting style
* School
* Academic success

Alcohol Use

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* Not really a “deviant” behavior
* Quite normative and common
* Alcohol industry has been widely criticized
* Targeting adolescents with the creation of flavored alcoholic beverages (FABs) => __alcopops__

Probing the Existence of an Alleged Toronto Gang with Rob Ford Ties: 

Is there really a gang? Is it the label created by the media and polices or is it real?

We don’t know who to trust

Binge Drinking in University

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* 5 drinks in one sitting for males & 4 drinks for females
* University alcohol use => polarized
* University binge drinking is __**not associated with later alcoholism**__

More binge drinking among

* Uni students (__more than same age peers don’t go to uni__)
* On-campus students
* Members of fraternities/sororities
* University athletes

“apprenticeship in drinking”

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* University __**environment**__ is “conducive to binge drinking”
* Youth who didn’t drink in high school find themselves immersed in an environment where alcohol consumption is normative

“Anticipatory drinking” 

Students drink to the point of intoxication before going out to a bar => to save money

University alcohol use => polarized

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* Binge drinkers => increase
* Abstainers => increase

Controlling Binge Drinking in University Students

* __Prevention paradox__ => not reduce the harm of alcohol consumption


* __Population prevention__ approaches => __most effective__ in reducing harm

Prevention paradox

* Prevention and retroactive efforts
* Target the INDIVIDUAL

Why the prevention paradox not effective?

* Based on the presumption that students who binge drink are “__**problem drinkers”**__
* Try to motivate problem drinkers to __stop drinking__

Population prevention approaches

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* Target the __**university environmen**__t as a whole
* limited the places around the university that sell alcohol
* regulating the prices of alcohol in university venues

Youth as a risk (troubling youth)

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* __**School**____-__ and __**family**____-related factors__ appear to be especially **important**
* Relationship between __peer__ behaviour and youth crime is a __superficial__ one

Perceptions of youth crime

* Popular images = “__**out of control”**__ => moral panic
* Constructed within the __**media**__ => linked to certain ethnic groups and classes, gender
* Portrait of youth crime has been __repeatedly__ painted since the early 20th century

Patterns of youth crime

* Peaked in 1990s, then steadily decline

=> Youth are overrepresented in the criminal justice system (18-24)

5 elements of moral panic

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* __heightened concern__
* __hostility__ toward the offending group
* a certain level of __consensus__ that there is a real threat
* __disproportionality__
* __volatility__

Moral panic over girls’ violence (4 ways that violent girls are framed in the news)

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* “sinister villains”
* “uncivilized and subhuman”
* “harlots”
* “average Jane... whose violence was an anomaly” 

“sinister villains”

manipulate others and enjoy violence

“uncivilized and subhuman”

savages who travel together like “wolfpacks” and attack innocent victims

“harlots”

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* related to romantic relationships
* motivated by extreme jealousy or sexual rivalry (slut)

“average Jane... whose violence was an anomaly” 

though sympathetic lens

Youth Gangs

* No universal definition
* Media state that they are moving on to social media
* Membership in gangs is __fluid__ 


* Greater risk of gang involvement => youth who experience high levels of __marginalization__

The Social Construction of Gangs

* “Gangs” are socially constructed
* Those with power identify groups as gangs
* Mmbers of racialized groups are __NOT more likely__ to be involved in a gang

=> __more likely__ to be labelled as such

How media view of youth gang?

* “out of control”
* __racialize__ the “gang problem” => emphasize the race in stories about gangs

Why do Youth Join Gangs?

Gangs will emerge in socially and economically __disadvantaged__ communities

Merton’s strain theory explain gangs

* Gang form as an __alternative way__ of achieving status, social acceptance, and economic success


* Use illegitimate means to achieve goals

Status frustration theory explains gangs

* Lower-class boys join with other similar boys in forming gangs
* Middle-class measuring rod

Differential opportunity theory explains gangs

Gangs live in communities where illegitimate opportunities are more tangible

Ethnographic research on gangs

* Joining a gang is a __rational__ decision
* Material incentives
* Recreation
* Place of refuge & camouflage
* Physical protection
* Time to resist
* Commitment to the community

Material incentives

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* Most common reason 
* Help you make money (tax free, dealing drugs)

Recreation

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* Provide entertainment and a social life
* There are also gay gang members => seeking place for acceptance

Place of refuge & camouflage

* If you commit crimes => your crimes are covered by others


* Provide a level of __anonymity__
* Remove a sense of personal responsibility for illegal activities

\-Physical protection

* Especially for someone who lives in risky neighborhoods
* __Victimization__ increases significantly 

Time to resist

Statement of rejection of the type of lives being offered

Commitment to the community

* Gang life is a tradition in some communities 
* They can do anything (thief, crime, drugs dealer) so that the poor kids in their neighborhood can have food

=> can cause harm to society

=> to make sure their community is safe and happy 

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Gangs with Neighbourhoods

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* Often view their existence as an __embodiment__ of the neighborhood
* Neighborhoods => provide gangs with financially
* Mandates any __perceived__ or __actual__ threat needs to be met with strong resistance and defense of territory

One of the gang’s most defining elements is

A gang’s identification with a __**specific turf**__ or territory

Vehement ‘protection’

the primary motivation for gang warfare

Who benefits from moral panics about gangs?

* Media
* Politician
* Interest groups and community agencies 
* Law enforcement
* Gangs themselves

__Media__ benefits from moral panics about gangs bc:

Audiences are more likely to read sensational, dramatic stories => increase profit

__Politician__ benefits from moral panics about gangs bc:

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* Moral entrepreneurs 
* Vow to toughen legislation and enforcement if elected => get more votes

__Interest groups and community agencies__ benefit from moral panics about gangs bc:

Provide social programs => may receive more funding 

__Law enforcement__ benefit from moral panics about gangs bc:

Can secure more funding to hire more officers 

Gangs themselves benefit from moral panics about gangs bc:

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* Free publicity => better when ppl speak about you even in a positive or negative way
* Legitimate your value on the street 

__**Formal**__ ways to control Youth Gangs and Youth Crime

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* School => educating
* Community agencies
* provide them with resouces

__**Informal**__ ways to control Youth Gangs and Youth Crime

* Everyday __**social interaction**__ => focusing on __preventative__ efforts
* Parenting efforts, community involvement

Community agencies control youth gangs through:

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* __**Retroactive programs**__
* Persuade existing gang members to leave that lifestyle
* __**Preventative programs**__ 
* Teaching young children about the dangers of gangs

Juvenile Delinquents Act (1908)

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* Foundation => __parens patriae__
* With the right assistance and teaching, young criminals can get on the right path
* __**child welfare**__ __principles__

Young Offenders Act (1984)

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* Young offenders instead of juvenile delinquents 
* __**justice**__ __principles__

Youth Criminal Justice Act (2003)

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* First-time & non-violent young offenders => treated via __community__ and alternative measures
* Chronic or violent young offenders => treated __more toughly__
* __**prevention**__ __principles__, intensified __rehabilitation and reintegration__

Limitations of all social control on youth crime

Fails to sufficiently address youth trauma

Effects of Police Contact on Youth

* Counter effect
* Youth who interact with the criminal justice system => more likely to continue with deviant behavior


* Police contact with marginalized populations is much stricter than the white population 

Why youth who interact with the criminal justice system are more likely to continue with deviant behavior?

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* __**Internalize**__ the label
* Suffer the consequence of being labeled by others
* Start acting that way => enforce negative behavior
* Deviance __**amplification**__
* Isolated them from good kids

The school affects delinquency in 2 interrelated ways:

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* Taken over many of the occupational socialization functions formerly done by the family
* Effects on children’s daily lives

Relation between delinquency and school

* Students who have good connections with the __prof__ more likely to doing well than students who have more friends
* __Strong school bonds__ protected them from being violent

Zero-tolerance policies that use suspensions or expulsions are

* COUNTER-PRODUCTIVE
* Instead of expelling them from school, bad kids need to be __**pulled back in the school**__

=> to strengthen the bonds

=> surrounded by emotional supportive environment

Generation Gap Perception

* 1950s => the label “teenager”
* Certainly not because of the adults, it’s because of the teenagers => inherently deviant
* Reflected in the media
* Young people => lazy, irresponsible

Generation Gap in the Past

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* Youth has an absence of self-control (especially sexual self-control), short-temper
* **sturm und drang** 


* However, it is parents who bring the emphasis on sports to their sons’ lives and the emphasis on popularity to their daughters’ lives

sturm und drang 

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* Individual development mirrors the evolution of the human species
* Transition from “beast-like” to “human-like” (growing up)

Generation Gap at the Present

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* Parents and other adults put so much __stress__ on children
* Parent-child conflicts do increase during adolescence

=> as young people strive to develop their own __**independent identities**__

=> Mostly __**small, everyday issues**__

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“keeping up with the Joneses”

Adults who want the same status of car, house, boat, or vacation as their neighbours or co-workers.

=> these examples are really similar to teenagers who want the same kind of clothes or shoes as their peers

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Generation Gap in the Future

* Due to the busy life => Teenagers receive less direct supervision from parents
* __**Engaged time**__ is more important for adolescents than for younger children
* __**Adolescent aloneness**__ => potential for new and significant generation gap emerges

Street racing

* Unsanctioned & often illegal


* There are distinctive street racing subcultures in many cities across the world

Mental Disorders discussion dimensions

* Experience of the disorders (individual dimension)
* How people perceive and treat those with mental illnesses (social dimension)

The DSM

\-List **what thoughts, moods, behaviors** => are **symptoms** of mental illness to diagnose what individuals experiencing 

Mental disorders

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* Less able to recognize what is real and what is not


* Must be of a magnitude and duration substantial enough => to **interfere with daily functioning**


* Not **black/ white** approach => sick vs not sick 

Most common mental disorders

* Mood
* Anxiety Disorders

Mental disorders can be based on

* Not only individual things but also social factors & economic factor
* Not that a factor solely affect mental illness => interact with each other, or exaggerate each othe

Economic factors

* socioeconomic status


* Not only about social class but also to changes in financial status due to local, regional, national, or global economic patterns.

Gender in Mental Disorder

* Equal overall rates for women and men


* Different types of mental illness between men & women

Mental disorder in men

* antisocial personality disorder, substance abuse disorder, conduct disorder
* Many of us __don’t consider severe__ mental disorder in men 
* Most of suicides are committed by men

Mental disorder in women

* depression, anxiety (common)
* __Sociocultural factors__
* more likely to suffer due to the environment around them (inequality)


* Try to commit suicide more often than men, but not succeed

Mental disorder due to Socioeconomic Status

* __**Number 1**__ predictor of mental illness
* Higher rates among __**lower**__ socioeconomic status groups
* Social causation hypothesis
* Social selection hypothesis

Social causation hypothesis

* __Poverty__ leads to mental illness
* __Retreatism__ => give up on pursuing the goals => mental illness (Merton)
* __Strain__ has a significant contribution to mental health (negative feelings) 
* Early adulthood and old age (mood & anxiety)

Social selection hypothesis

* __Mental illness__ leads to poverty
* Depends on the types of mental illness (severe)

Age in Mental disorder

* Transition from high school to college, have to make __adults decision__
* Create chaos as we __try to form an identity__ 


* Higher rates in adolescents/young adults

Indigenous youth with mental illnesses

* 90% of Indigenous suicides in only 10% of communities


* Indigenous communities that experience high rates of youth suicide

=> the least “culturally healthy”

Cost of Mental Illness (Objective view)

* __Direct__ and __indirect__ financial costs (healthcare & unemployment)
* Can lead to physical illnesses


* Mental illnesses carry the __second-highest hospital expenditures__ (following injuries)

Cost of Mental Illness (Subjective view)

* Cost-of-illness estimates should be viewed with some level of __caution__
* biochemistry **interacts** with economics and social norms
* Fail to take into account => individuals with mental disorders contribute to society __outside__ of the labor force (parents, neighbors)

=> cost-of-illness estimates themselves are __**reflective of the negative attitudes**__ that surround mental illness

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