exam 1 key terms Flashcards
delinquency
crimes committed by minors (17 and under in most states)
chronic delinquent
youths involved in multiple serious criminal acts, who start with a small number of violations beginning in early childhood and persist into adulthood
status offense
acts that are considered illegal for minors to perform that are not illegal for adults, such as smoking, drinking, disobeying parents, skipping school, curfew violations, and running away
status offender
a child who commits a status offense, aka an act forbidden to youth
parens patriae
translates to supreme parent, the state has a responsibility to act in the best interest of the child and provide the necessary care/ treatment
CHINS/MINS
children in need of supervision/ minors in need of supervision
voluntary apprenticeship movement
bound by parents/guardians in exchange for a fee, authority is transferred to the master
involuntary apprenticeship movement
authorities can force it until the age of 21, masters have complete authority over the apprentice
English poor laws
1535; made poor kids the servants in the homes of the affluent where they were trained in agriculture, trade, and domestic services
chancery courts
established to protect property rights and seek solutions to disputes/ conflicts along with orphan welfare/ guardianship (protect their inheritance). Oversees lives of minors who were orphaned or could not take care of themselves.
stubborn child laws
required children to obey their parents and be morally disciplined through attending public whippings and executions
urbanization
a time of rapid population growth through immigration and increased birth rate where manufacturing jobs were in high demand. This increased the number of at-risk youths, so they created poorhouses/workhouses for them and other misfortune groups. Youth were considered to be “savable” through state and community intervention.
child-savers
community programs in Boston, New York, and Chicago in the 19th century that assisted needy children. Reformers developed programs for troubled youth and influenced legislation, and advocated for children to be admitted to specialized institutions. They also found parents of offenders to be just as guilty as the kids and wanted reform schools to establish control.
child saving movement
people became concerned that the moral training of children from lower classes was inadequate. They focused instead on extending governmental control over youthful activities that were previously dealt with by parents.
New York House of Refuge
in 1825, became the first private-funded juvenile reformatory in the US. It’s aim was to protect criminal youth by taking them off the streets and enforcing strict rules.
Children’s Aid Society
1853, a child-saving organization that rescued children from the streets of large cities and placed them with farm families using “placing out plans”
orphan trains
ran from 1854-1929, part of the children’s aid society’s efforts where they would send kids west to be put up for adoption to farm couples
Society for the prevention of cruelty to children (SPCC)
1874 in New York, tried to change the belief that boys are criminals and girls are promiscuous by not allowing kids in houses with little food/clothing or excessive alcohol. Arrests were made for abusive parents.
first juvenile court
created in Illinois in 1899, the first court where children cannot be held accountable as adults. It’s objectives were:
- rehabilitation instead of punishment
- individualized treatment based on analysis of needs
- family-oriented
dark figures
unrecorded delinquent acts
age of onset
the age at which youths begin their delinquent careers, it is believed to be linked with chronic offending patterns (start offending early -> continue into adulthood)
age-out
the tendency of youths to reduce the frequency of offenses as they get older. People age out for 4 reasons:
- increased responsibility
- ability to resist impulses
- decreased peer influence
- physical change
persistence
adolescents who begin to violate the law early in their life that continue at a high rate and into adulthood
desistance
same as aging out/ spontaneous remission. Delinquents stop committing crimes as they get older
chronic recidivist
someone who is arrested 5 times or more before the age of 18
at-risk youths
kids who are extremely vulnerable to delinquency due to school failure/ poor education, substance abuse, sexual abuse, poverty, poor health care, divorce, foster care, and abuse/ neglect
risk factors
four types: individual (antisocial, poor cognitive skills), school and community (bad grades, underprivileged neighborhood, access to weapons), family (maltreatment, divorce), and peer (peer rejection or pressure)
due process rights
no person can be deprived of life, liberty, and property without protections such as legal counsel, an impartial and fair jury, an open hearing, and an opportunity to confront those making accusations against them
waiver
transferring legal jurisdiction over the most serious and experienced juvenile offenders to the adult court for criminal prosecution
target-hardening techniques
making potential targets more difficult to access and less attractive
situational crime prevention
recognize the characteristics of sites and situations at risk. Delinquency will be reduced if:
- potential offenders are better monitored
- potential targets/victims are better guarded
- means to commit crime are controlled
specific strategies for crime prevention (6 kinds)
- increase perceived effort (target hardening)
- reduce rewards (identify property)
- reduce provocations (disperse crowd)
- increase perceived risks (surveillance cameras)
- induce shame/ guilt (strengthen morality)
- remove excuses (free rides to avoid DUIs)
