Test 1 F2014 Flashcards
Juvenile delinquency
the legal term for a person who is under the majority age and breaking the law or criminal code
Extended jurisdiction
can have control of the offender until age 25
When does violent crime peak?
age 18
When does property crime peak?
age 16
Was child/parent relationships close in the middle ages?
no- high mortality rates
How many juveniles are arrested each year?
1.5 million
Are boys and girls arrested for similar criems?
yes, with the exception of girls do more runaways
Do all states have Juvenile systems
YES
Does the juv justice system is based on the parens patrae philosophy-
yes- what is in best interest of the child
Status Offence
illegal because the offender is under 18
Chronic Offender
arrested 4+ times
Which demographic factor displays the most stable relationship with delinquency
age- age crime curve- doesn’t change over time
Is juv delinquincy rising?
no, it’s decreasing
Does Youth commit a disproportionate amount of crime
yes. EXCEPT VIOLENT CRIME
Is Uniform crime report is a valid measure of criminal activity?
no.
When did the government start treating children as a distinct social group instead of “little adults”
350 years ago
What changes led to the recognition of childhood in the 16-1800’s?
Changes in family structure Laws to control/protect children Urbanization/industrialization Dangerous classes Child saving movement State intervention Mandatory education
Who established the juvenile court and when?
Chicago, Illinois Juvenile Court Act, 1899
Past JJS?
Separate neglected/status/delinquent youth
All kids were treated the same. Our system was not complex enough to cater to different needs.
Current JJS?
Complex system
Costs 90,000 to house a kid in the juvenile system for 1 year because of Fed Involvement (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention)
At-Risk Youth
25% of the population
The 5 status Offenses that courts control
Habitual truants
Repeated disregard for parental authority
Repeated running away
Repeated use of intoxicating beverages
Delinquent acts by children younger than 10
How do we measure delinquency?
official reports, victim surveys, self report surveys
UCR
Raw figures (# of crimes reported, arrests made)
Crime rates= #crime/total pop x 100,000
Changes in the number and rate of crime over time
Most commonly cited
Presented by age, race, gender
Part I and Part 2 Offenses
arrest statistics
Violent: 68K (840 homicide arrest)
Property: 335K
Total delinquency down 31% since 2002, 11% since 2010
Most common offenses: truancy, alcohol/marijuana, fake ID, shoplifter/larceny, simple assault, damaging property
The Dark Figure of Crime
crime that is not reported
Disproportionate Minority Contact
blacks are more likely to be arrested, formally processed, and stay longer in the juvenile system compared to whites
Choice Theory
Classical Criminology (16-1800s)
Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy Bentham
Utilitarian philosophy/Shared morality
Cost-Benefit Analysis rational choice Free will Focus on act Belief that “crime pays
Deterrence
General Deterrence
- Swift, severe, certain
- Before the act
Specific Deterrence
-After the act
Trait Theories
Youth engage in delinquent behavior due to aberrant physical or psychological traits that govern behavioral choices
Delinquent actions are impulsive or instinctual rather than rational choices.
National Research Council Theory
Hyperactivity Risk taking Impulsivity Poor attention span Low IQ
Characteristics of Adult violent offenders
Low empathy Head injuries Inadequate prenatal care Lead paint Abuse, neglect, lack of parental nurturing
Trait Theories: Biosocial and Psychological
Origins in Lombroso’s criminal atavism
The idea that delinquents manifest physical anomalies present at birth that make them biologically and physiologically similar to our primitive ancestors.
“born criminal” (body type)
Charles Goring
Defective intelligence
“feeblemindedness”, mentally deficient, low IQ
Biosocial Theories of Delinquency
Biosocial theory focuses on the association between biological makeup, environmental conditions, and antisocial behaviors.
Biological problems lead to social problems which make youth vulnerable to criminal activity
Psychological Theory
Most delinquents have poor home lives, relationship problems, and issues with authority
Seen as a function of mental disturbance
Psychodynamic theory: unconscious mental disorder caused by relationship/trauma early in life can lead to delinquency
Personality
is defined as the stable patterns of behavior, including thoughts and emotions, which distinguish one person from another.
Social Structure Theories
Place and crime View that social and economic forces operating in deteriorated lower-class areas, including disorganization, stress, and cultural deviance, push residents into criminal behavior patterns.
Social Disorganization Theory
Shaw and McKay: Chicago Concentric Zones 1.Poverty 2.Transience – moving in and out 3.Heterogeneity – lots of difference, different race, values,
Schools, jobs, housing
Depression isolation, family disruption, apathy, fear, disorder
Informal Social Control
Differential association
frequency, duration, priority, intensity
Differential Reinforcement
Balance of real or anticipation rewards/punishments
Aker’s Social Learning Theory
- Differenial asociation
- Definitions
- Differential Reinforcement
- Imitation
Definitions
- Attitudes/meaning attached to behavior
Techniques
Social Bonding Theory
Travis Hirschi Assumes a criminal nature Attachment Commitment Belief Involvement
Labeling Theory
Crime is the result of reactions/efforts of formal social control agents (police, courts, corrections)
Primary deviance
Secondary deviance
