module 3 - adolescent offenders Flashcards
what is the minimum age that an offender can be? what happens to children under this age?
an offender must be a minimum of 12 years old. prior to this age, children’s behaviour is governed by the child and family services act
how were criminal youth treated prior to the 19th century?
youth who committed criminal acts were treated similarly to adult offenders, and weren’t even exempt from the death penalty
what was the purpose of the Juvenile Delinquents Act (1908)? Who did it apply to?
purpose was to recognize the special circumstances inherent with adolescent offenders. it applied to individuals between the ages of 7 and 16
what were the sanctions on the juvenile delinquents act? (5)
- adjournment without penalty
- fines
- probation
- mandatory attendance in an industrial school to learn a skill or trade
- foster care
what did the Young Offenders Act (1984) recognize?
recognized that adolescent offenders were cognitively different than adults and that consequently their level of accountability and the sanctions for their behaviour should be more commensurate with their developmental stage
how old did an offender have to be to be transferred to adult court under the YOA?
14 years old
what is diversion? what must a young offender do in order for diversion to occur?
a decision not to prosecute a young offender but rather have them undergo an educational or community service program.
in order for diversion to be possible, the offender must plead guilty
what dispositions were available for adolescent offenders under the YOA? (8)
- diversion
- absolute discharge
- a fine
- compensation for loss or damaged property
- restitution to the victim
- a probation order
- community service
- probation
- custody
why was Bill C-106 section 16 (1986) introduced?
to combat the problem of adolescents pleading guilty to avoid transfer to adult court
what changes did Bill C-37 (1995) bring to section 16?
if charged with murder, manslaughter, or aggravated sexual assault, 16 and 17 year olds would automatically be tried in adult court
what was the intention of the Youth Criminal Justice Act (2003)?
to keep adolescent offenders out of court and out of custody
what are the 3 main objectives of the YCJA?
- to prevent youth crime
- to provide meaningful consequences and encourage responsibility of behaviour
- to improve rehabilitation and reintegration of youth into the community
what are the characteristics of child-onset adolescent offenders?
behavioural problems start very early i childhood and these adolescents often have histories that include behavioural problems dating back to daycare and preschool
what are the characteristics of adolescent-onset adolescent offenders?
they begin to show behavioural problems in their teen years. they may engage in antisocial acts such as truancy, theft, and vandalism
what are the common physiological characteristics of antisocial adolescents?
less frontal lobe inhibition and slower heart rates
what do conduct-disordered adolescents demonstrate?
limited problem solving skills, thus generating few solutions to problems and often their solutions are aggressive in nature
what is reactive aggression?
an emotionally aggressive response to a perceived threat or frustration
what is proactive aggression?
aggression directed at achieving a goal or receiving positive reinforcers
what are reactively aggressive adolescents likely to demonstrate?
deficiencies early in the cognitive process, such as focusing on only a few social cues and misattributing hostile intent to ambiguous situations
what are proactively aggressive adolescents likely to have?
deficiencies in generating alternate responses and often choose an aggressive response
what are the best predictors of aggressive behaviour in adolescents? (4)
- depression
- antisocial personality traits
- exposure to family violence
- peer influences
what are the 5 domains of risk factors?
- individual
- familial
- school
- peer
- community
