Final Test! Risk Factors: Peers, Family, Gangs, Marginal and Homeless Youth

Question 1

What is recidivism?

Answer 1

when youth come out of the system and back into society.

Question 2

What are dynamic risk factors?

Answer 2

Something that is amenable to treatment.

Examples: substance use; school achievements; pro-criminal attitudes, and anti-social peers.

Ways that can help: therapy, support, extra help.

Question 3

What are static risk factors?

Answer 3

Something that cannot be changed (by treament)

Examples: parental abuse/neglect; onset of problem behaviour; early age of first conviction

Question 4

Are “delinquent” youth likely to do well academically?

Answer 4

no but can be helped

Question 5

Would “delinquent’s” have a good or bad social group?

Answer 5

bad social groups

Question 6

What is a typical background for “delinquents”?

Answer 6

• Poor
• Targeted for bullying
• Not performing well academically

Can all lead to delinquency

Question 7

What are the 4 types of parenting according to Baumrind?

Answer 7

1. Authoritative
2. Authoritarian
3. Indulgent
4. Indifferent

Question 8

Define authoritative parenting.

Answer 8

When a parent is supporting and demanding.

Question 9

Define Authoritarian parenting.

Answer 9

Reflecting and very demanding (more aggression; CA Research; Violent and aggressive)

Question 10

Define Indulgent parenting.

Answer 10

Supportive and not demanding (“permissive” and friends) (behavioural issues)

Question 11

Define indifferent parenting.

Answer 11

Rejecting and not demanding (neglect if extreme)

Question 12

The “Bad Seed” and Invisible Victims

Answer 12

A child’s bad attitude is caused by bad parenting and can be fixed with tough love.

Question 13

What are the 3 levels of crime prevention?

Answer 13

-Primary Prevention

• Secondary Prevention
• Tertiary Prevention

Question 14

Define primary prevention.

Answer 14

It is focused on an entire population (neighbourhood, school, youth, or nation)

Question 15

Define secondary prevention.

Answer 15

Focused specifically on those within a population who are seen to have a problem (substance abuse, living in a neighbourhood with high rates of unemployment)

Question 16

Define Tertiary Prevention.

Answer 16

Focused on the small number of individuals or populations who already have serious or chronic problems (violent offenders, neighbourhoods with high crime rates)

Question 17

Getting rid of trouble makers (Bowditch, 1993):

Answer 17

• Methods: DuBois HS (inner-city US; high population of Black youth)
  o Demographics: neighbourhood with ½ adults not graduate from HS; ½ LIVE IN POVERTY; 60% only one parent
• Research period: one school year
• Suspension rates: over 25% has been suspended at least once
• Discipline Office:
• A) Most routine problems: lateness, cutting class or disrupting class
• B) Less routine problems: fighting, drug possession, theft, vandalism or threats to teacher
• C) Rare: sale of drugs, violence against teacher, weapons
• Penalties: call parents (suspended/expel) or hold out of class

Question 18

Youth Working for wages

Answer 18

• Youth and Unemployment [up to age 24]- have highest rate (race/ethnicity)- reasons?
• [less training & skills; less experience; employers want more stable/committed]
• Position [work]: marginal
• Education- plays important role in unemployment
• Common work:
• Service industry
• Construction and landscaping (seasonal)
• Boys vs girls (over school year; boys work more house & over more time)
• Wages (min wage) (ON: $15.60/HOUR- Oct, 2023 vs $16.55)
• Effects of work
• Positive- responsible, manage money; time management; confidence; better grades
• Negative (15 hours threshold*)

Question 19

What is a gang?

Answer 19

An organized crime (membership)

Question 20

What does a level 1 gang specialize in according to Wortley and Ellis, 2019?

Answer 20

*fluid friendship groups

*criminal activity periodic, unplanned

*no leadership

*no name, signs or symbols

*may form & disband quickly

Question 21

What does a level 2 gang specialize in according to Wortley and Ellis 2019?

Answer 21

*Period of time (1 year or longer)

*Criminal activity is planned & deliberate

*Not tied to a specific neighbourhood

*May or may not have gang name, signs or symbols

*No formal leadership structure

*Violence & disputes over reputation/honour [the Code]

Question 22

What does a level 3 gang specialize in according to Wortley and Ellis, 2019?

Answer 22

*Hierarchal structure with leaders & followers

*Criminal activity planned

*Control activities in territory

*Gang name, signs & symbols

*Violence (use of firearms)

*Conflict subculture

*Ex. Bloods & Crips (well known street gangs)

Question 23

What does level 4 gangs specialize in according to Wortley and Ellis 2019?

Answer 23

*Sophisticated hierarchal structure

*Criminal activity planned

*Legal and illegal acts

*International business

*Violence of strategic purposes

*Criminal subculture

*Ex. Mafia, Drug Cartels, Hells Angels

Question 24

Toronto Street Gang pilot project findings (Wortley and Tanner, 2007):

Answer 24

*Surveys and Interviews with street youth and high school students (gang membership)

• Sample size: High school 3, 393; Street Youth 396
• Toronto Street Gang pilot Project
• Qualitative interviews (n= 209 gang members)
• 83% males; 63% single-parents family; 14% grew up in child-protection system; 76% Canadian-born

Question 25

How do homeless and marginal youth make money according to O’Grady and Gaetz?

Answer 25

• Panhandling
• Squeegee cleaning
• Sex for money
• Criminal activity (breaking and entering, selling stolen goods)

Question 26

Importance on homeless “street” youth:

Answer 26

1) disproportionate charges and incarceration

2) disproportionate victimization

Question 27

How do youth end up becoming homeless?

Answer 27

*Problems: with family (abuse/conflict), school, peers, parenthood, LGBTQ+, mental health issues

*Psychological harm: depression, low self-esteem, suicide, self-injurious behaviours (have these behaviours before they move out and stays with them for most of the time)

Question 28

Family conflicts research and findings within homeless youth (Whitbeck et al., 1997):

Answer 28

• Measured: Parental monitoring, rejection, warmth & supportiveness
• Abuse: physical, sexual, aggression

*Parents & adolescent reports of abuse: did not differ! (the only difference was severity, the parents downplayed the severity than the youth)

• Violence
• Hit with object: 35% male, 30% females (National: 7%)
• beaten 16% males, 10% females (National: 2%)
• Sexual assaults: 18% parents reported (girls; but parents might not know)

*Policy implication:

• Mandatory returns: ignores dangerous environment (child and parent (s))
• Youth not wanted back

*Criminalize victim of abuse and exploitation