6: YOUTH & DEVIANCE Flashcards
Troubling Youth
primarily at risk to others (crime, gangs)
Troubled Youth
primarily at risk to themselves (substance use)
Punishable Young Offender
Coined by Hogeveen to describe the discursive construction of some young offenders as “troublesome” and therefore requiring punishment in order to make them accountable for their criminal acts
Reformable Young Offender
Coined by Hogeveen to describe the discursive construction of some young offenders as “troubled” and therefore needing intervention in hope they can be rehabilitated
Most Common Youth Crime Offenses
- Assault level 1 (slapping, spitting)
- Mischief (vandalism)
- Shoplifting under 5k
- Uttering threats
- Assault level 2 (punching or use of a weapon)
Reality Versus Perception of Youth Crime in Canada
- Popular perceptions are that they’re “out of control” and that it’s “worse than ever”,
- More criminal and more violent now?
- Gap between perception versus reality explained in reference to media (moral panics) and professional groups (government, police
> There’s a steady downfall in frequency & severity of youth crime.
Youth Justice System
Juvenile Delinquents Act (1908) → Young Offenders Act (1984) → Youth Criminal Justice Act (2003)
Juvenile Delinquents Act
- jurisdiction over children 7-15 years of age
- Based on parens patriae: state has a duty to assume the role of a parent in case of delinquents with no parents
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Child welfare: believed with the right assistance they could be set on a good path
Court’s Power - Imposing fines
- Going to a foster home
- Impose a probationary sentence
Probation Officer’s Role - Conducted investigations for the court
- Assisted and directed the court
- Represented the interests of the child in court
- Supervised children sentenced to probation
- Aim to reform the child and to reform the family
Young Offender’s Act
> Introduced because JDA was perceived as being…
- too soft on youth crime
- too expensive
- probation officers did not adequately supervise the children
- Justice over child welfare principles
Focus on protecting society from youth offenders & criminals, not delinquents
Focused on youth responsibility (treating them like adults) and societal protection
Extended legal rights to youth (right to an attorney)
Youth Criminal Justice Act
> Introduced because YOA…
- contained conflicting principles
- resulted in the overuse of incarceration
- failed to adequately provide for youth reintegration
YCJA introduced a bifurcated youth justice system
- Two-pronged system that allows for diversion of the first time and less serious offenders out of the system while allowing for punitive forms of punishment for more serious offenders
Chronic or violent ones were treated more stringently, while first-time and non-violent ones are likely to be treated via community & alternates
YCJA and Less Serious Offences/Offenders
- Community service
- Compensation in cash or services
- Referrals to specialized programs for counselling, treatment or education (e.g. life skills, drug or alcohol treatment, anger management)
- Referrals to community, aboriginal or youth justice committees (which can recommend sanctions)
- A letter of apology or essay
Restorative Justice Program
- Allows victims, offenders and communities affected to talk about the causes, impact, and needs
> Understanding that crime is a violation of relationships and principles of respect
(e.g., victim-offender reconciliation programs): focus on victim and restitution and restoration of the wrong, as opposed to criminal vs the state
> Encourages meaningful engagement and accountability and provides an opportunity for healing and repartition and reintegration
Sentencing as Adult - Murder
- Attempted murder
- Manslaughter
- Aggravated sexual assault
- Or a violent offence in which they’ve already been convicted twice before
> Less young people go to jail under YCJA so it’s seen as an improvement
Oudshoorn & Issues with the Youth Justice System
> Fails to support meaningful change because it fails to sufficiently address youth trauma.
Trauma individually is expressed by poverty, neglect, abuse, discrimination & victimization by crime.
Collectively, trauma is experienced in social groups subject to intergenerational trauma at the macro level. Collective trauma contributes to overrepresentation of Indigenous peoples in the justice system
Alcohol Use
- 40% of high school students (more than those in their 20s) engaged in high-risk drinking (5+ drinks in one occasion)
- 30-40% of Uni students are binge drinkers (within last few weeks) more than non-students
The Industry: Widely criticized for promoting youth use with FABs (flavoured alc beverages) during shows where 30% or more of the audience was under legal drinking age, on gaming sites, youth-oriented sites and Youtube & Facebook.
> Binge drinkers are correlated with binge drinking among peers (hanging out with other drinkers)
Controlling Alcohol Use
- Preventative & Retroactive social controls that target them and attempt to motivate from refraining are found at universities, stimulating self-control and self-regulation. Effectiveness is questionable
- Effective control may lie in the Population Approach: changes to regulatory environments (uni) or at the societal level (higher alcohol taxes, higher drinking age and stricter accessibility and driving while intoxicated).
Prevention Paradox: Because university binge drinking tends to be treated as. individual problem. The growing harm hasn’t been reduced and comes from students who engage in occasional binge drinking on weekends rather than those with alcohol dependency