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Date: November 22, 2024 Fri
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Results for juvenile delinquents
50 results foundAuthor: Apel, Robert John Title: The Effect of Criminal Justice Involvement in the Transition to Adulthood Summary: The last 30 years in the United States have witnessed unprecedented expansion in criminal justice institutions. In an era of rapidly declining crime rates, scholars have begun to call into question the wisdom of continued expansion. There are at least two reasons for such reservations. First, the crime-control potential of expansion in the use of criminal justice sanctions is limited by the law of diminishing returns. Holding constant the composition of the offender pool (e.g., criminal propensities, offense mix), at a certain point the number of crimes prevented by sanctioning one additional offender (via deterrence or incapacitation) will begin to decrease. This is to say, simply, that a newly sanctioned offender today is less of a danger to society, on the margin and all else equal, than a newly sanctioned offender 30 years ago. Second, if criminal justice involvement has adverse causal effects on life outcomes that are correlated with criminal offending, large-scale growth in formal sanctioning might have the perverse effect of sustaining criminal behavior rather than deterring it. Indeed, evidence is mounting that formal sanctions stigmatize an ever larger class of individuals and potentially disrupt conventional achievements in a variety of life domains such as employment, education, civic involvement, and family formation and stability (Hagan and Dinovitzer, 1999). Steadily rising prison admissions, in particular, have given rise to increased attention by researchers and policymakers on issues of reentry and reintegration (Petersilia, 2003). By way of example, from the 1930s through the early 1970s, the U.S. incarceration rate hovered around 110 per 100,000 residents, at which point it began a steady increase that by midyear 2005 had attained 738 per 100,000 (Harrison and Beck, 2006). At yearend 2006, moreover, the total population confined in jails and prisons was almost 2.4 million (Sabol, Couture, and Harrison, 2007). The growth and scope of incarceration is truly impressive, so much so that contemporary discourse is increasingly attuned to the collateral consequences of so-called "mass imprisonment" policies (Garland, 2001; Mauer and Chesney-Lind, 2003; Pettit and Western, 2004; Useem and Piehl, 2008). The rather stark realization of the emerging reentry literature is that virtually all of these offenders will return to the community at some point (Travis, 2005). It is an unmistakable irony that policies of mass imprisonment might actually exacerbate the crime problem over the long run if these released offenders struggle to maintain a law-abiding lifestyle because of the stigma associated with their confinement experiences. What the discussion thus far implies is that criminal justice involvement is a catalyst that initiates a causal sequence of downward mobility for sanctioned offenders, ultimately resulting in persistence (if not escalation) in criminal offending. In other words, a criminal record causes further crime (in part) through its indirect effect on an offender's status attainment prospects. The empirical evidence for an inverse correlation between criminal justice involvement and status attainment, especially with respect to employment success, is voluminous. Extant theory and research provide a number of plausible explanations for such a relationship: The problem of civil disabilities or employer discrimination, the accumulation of a spotty work history, a lack of legitimate job contacts, and a dearth of good neighborhood-based employment opportunities, among others. Although the precise mechanism is not yet well understood, existing findings do suggest (not universally, it should be noted) that criminal justice involvement tends to reduce the probability of employment, increase the length of unemployment, lower wages and earnings, and promote high-school dropout. Studies that take such factors into consideration also tend to suggest that sanctioned individuals fare the worst when they are comparatively minor offenders (e.g., property or drug offenders), when they are of higher social status (e.g., middle-class individuals), and when they experience incarceration (as opposed to arrest or conviction). Yet a longstanding problem is ascertaining whether these unintended consequences of criminal justice involvement are attributable to the causal role that it has on status attainment as opposed to factors that jointly determine criminal justice involvement and low status attainment. The latter is known as the selection problem. In words, individuals with a criminal record might fare poorly in the legitimate labor market and drop out of high school because they had low prospects to begin with, not because criminal justice involvement acts as a genuine turning point in their work and education careers. The brute fact is that sanctioned offenders, in all likelihood, suffer deficits that would greatly limit status attainment even in the absence of an official sanction. It is this pernicious question-whether the relationship between criminal justice involvement and low status attainment signifies a causal effect or a selection artifact-that guides the present study. In this Executive Summary, we provide an overview of the results from a large-scale investigation of the causal effect of criminal justice involvement in the late teens and early twenties on later status attainment. The remainder of the summary proceeds as follows. First, we briefly describe the data and methodology used in the study (a summary of Chapter Two in the final report). Second, we present the key findings with respect to the relationship between incarceration and status attainment (a summary of Chapter Three). Third, we summarize the findings with respect to the effect of conviction on status attainment (a summary of Chapter Four). Fourth, we make some concluding remarks with an emphasis on the policy implications that flow from our findings (a summary of Chapter Five). Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, 2009. 146p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 8, 2018 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/228380.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/228380.pdf Shelf Number: 116668 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquentsJuvenile OffendersLongitudinal StudiesRecidivism |
Author: Males, Mike Title: Are Teenage Criminals Getting Younger and Younger? Exposing Another Urban Legend Summary: Stories recite standard myths that teenagers are more criminal and homicidal, committing worse violence at younger ages. This report notes that the average age of a teenager arrested for murder in 2008 (18.1 years) was four months older than the average age of a teenage murder arrestee in 1960 (17.7 years), while the average teenage violent felon was two months older in 2008 than in 1960. Further, teenage offenders are arrested for less violent offenses today than in the past. In 1960, half of all teenage violence offenders were arrested for misdemeanors such as simple assault; in 2008, more than three-fourths. Details: San Francisco, CA: Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, 2010. 11p. Source: Research Brief: Available at: http://www.cjcj.org/uploads/cjcj/documents/Are_Tenaage_Criminals_Getting_Younger_and_Younger.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 118376 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquentsViolent Crime, Juveniles |
Author: Leone, Peter Title: Addressing the Unmet Educational Needs of Children and Youth in the Juvenile Justice and Child Welfare Systems Summary: Children and youth involved in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, like all children, deserve a quality education that allows them to develop the skills and competencies necessary for them to become productive adults. Regrettably, this is infrequently the case. Many of these children and youth leave school without a regular diploma, and still others graduate without the academic skills and social-emotional competencies that constitute twenty-first learning skills. School-related problems are similar for students in both systems, which frequently serve the same children and youth. This paper explores the work that is being done in each system to better meet the educational needs of students within each system and those who are known to both - so-called crossover youth. The paper further challenges the two systems to think more holistically about how to operate in a seamless manner in meeting those needs. Details: Washington, DC: Center for Juvenile Justice Reform, Georgetown University, 2010. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 13, 2018 at: http://www.aecf.org/m/resourcedoc/CJJR-AddressingtheUnmetEducationalNeeds-2010.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 118680 Keywords: Child Welfare AgenciesCorrectional Education, JuvenilesEducationJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Perez, Adriana Title: The Safety Networks Initiative: Examining the Role of the Community Coalition in Strengthening Neighborhoods Summary: Safety Net Works (SNW) is a state-sponsored initiative designed to promote collaboration among local community groups with the goals of preventing youth violence and fostering youth development. Seventeen Illinois communities, including 12 in Chicago, were originally selected in 2008; each having a lead agency that coordinates a SNW coalition to provide direct services to at-risk individuals ages 10 to 24. This report introduces the premise behind the community coalition model on which Safety Net Works was conceived, summarizes the initiative’s activities and services, and considers the extent to which the coalition approach employed contributed to the goals of the initiative. Details: Chicago: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, 2011. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 21, 2011 at: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/public/pdf/ResearchReports/Safety_Net_Works_Initiative_March_2011.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/public/pdf/ResearchReports/Safety_Net_Works_Initiative_March_2011.pdf Shelf Number: 121084 Keywords: Community Participation (Chicago)Delinquency PreventionJuvenile DelinquentsNeighborhoods and Crime |
Author: Mitchell-Herzfeld, Susan Title: Effects of Multisystemic Therapy (MST) on Recidivism Among Juvenile Delinquents in New York State Summary: Two sets of findings resulted from this study. Regarding the impact of the therapy, the study found that multisystemic therapy (MST) was not effective in decreasing recidivism rates among juvenile delinquents released from an OCFS (Office of Children and Family Services) facility, and few subgroup differences in treatment were found across the four sample sites. Regarding implementation of the program, the study found that while OCFS’s implementation of the program was unique, the services provided by the department adhered to the MST treatment principles and analytic model; the problems faced by the youth and families served by the MST program were multiple and severe; the recidivism rates were higher for youth when their families had mental health, criminal affiliation, and family conflict issues; and program outcomes were not associated with treatment duration or intensity but did vary with treatment content. This report examines the effectiveness of MST on the recidivism rates of youth who have been released from an OCFS facility. MST is a short-term, intensive treatment program that focuses primarily on environmental systems, with services provided in the family home or at community-based locations at times that are convenient for the youth and their families. A sample of 898 youth released from OCFS facilities between March, 2000, and May, 2004, were included in the study. The study was divided into two parts: to evaluate the effectiveness of MST on recidivism rates of youth recently released from an OCFS facility, and to examine the State’s adherence to the principles of MST. Results of the study indicate that MST was ineffective for treating youth released from OCFS facilities for two reasons: the severity and intractability of the problems facing OCFS youth and their families, and the decision to use MST as a post-release service. Recommendations for future use of the program are discussed. Details: Renssaelaer, NY: New York State Office of Children and Family Services, 2008. 112p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 28, 2012 at http://www.ocfs.state.ny.us/main/reports/FINAL%20MST%20report%206-24-08.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://www.ocfs.state.ny.us/main/reports/FINAL%20MST%20report%206-24-08.pdf Shelf Number: 124314 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquentsJuvenile RecidivismMultisystemic Therapy |
Author: Labourse, Eric Title: Late Childhood Risk Factors Associated with Conduct Disorder Subtypes in Early Adolescence: A Latent Class Analysis of a Canadian Sample Summary: Very few studies have investigated the association between risk factors in late childhood and subtypes of conduct disorder (CD) in early adolescence that comprise such heterogeneous symptoms as aggression, destruction of property, theft and serious violations of rules. Previous research has identified four distinct subtypes: No CD type (82.4%), Non-Aggressive CD (NACD) type (13.9%), Physically Aggressive CD (PACD) type (2.3%) and Severe-Mixed CD (SMCD) type (1.4%). These subtypes suggest that there can be multiple pathways to CD that can have similar or different risk factors depending on the qualitative or quantitative aspects of the CD profiles. The aim of the present study was to identify late childhood risk factors in multiple domains, such as neighbourhood characteristics, family adversity, parenting/peer relationships and externalized/internalized behaviours that are common and specific to the four CD subtypes. Methods: Data on CD symptoms and risk factors were collected using the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth. Three cohorts of 12- and 13-year-olds were assessed during 1994–1995, 1996–1997 and 1998–1999 (N = 4,125). Results: Bivariate analyses revealed that out of 12 risk factors, 10 were associated with SMCD, 9 were associated with PACD and 10 were associated with NACD. In contrast to No CD subtype, multivariate analyses revealed that older age, non-intact family, family mobility and hyperactivity/inattention were predictors of SMCD. Males in the younger age category with family mobility and high physical aggression were associated with PACD. NACD was characterized by males in the older age category and with non-intact family, family mobility, coercive/ineffective parenting and deviant peers. Conclusion: Although there are many subtypes of CD, our findings suggest that there is more commonality than differences in risk factors. Components of family adversity, parenting practices and hyperactivity/inattention should be the focus of prevention and intervention efforts. Details: Ottawa: National Crime Prevention Centre, Public Safety Canada, 2012. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report: 2012-2: Accessed August 10, 2012 at: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/res/cp/res/_fl/lcrf-eng.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Canada URL: http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/res/cp/res/_fl/lcrf-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 0 Keywords: AggressionAt-risk YouthConduct Disorder, Juveniles (Canada)Delinquency PreventionJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Inter‐American Commission on Human Rights. Rapporteurship on the Rights of the Child Title: Juvenile Justice and Human Rights in the Americas Summary: The Inter‐American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has had multiple occasions to deal with the issue of juvenile justice and its relationship to human rights when examining and deciding the petitions and cases submitted to it, and the precautionary measures requested of it, when conducting its visits and adopting reports on the situation of human rights in the member States of the Organization of American States (OAS), and at the public hearings convened during its sessions. Based on the information it received, the Commission has decided to prepare a thematic report to examine juvenile justice in the Americas and to make recommendations to the member States with a view to strengthening and improving their institutions, laws, policies, programs and practices in the area of juvenile justice and to ensure that those systems are implemented in accordance with the international corpus juris on the rights of children and adolescents. To make the preparation of this report possible, the IACHR signed a memorandum of understanding with the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and with the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). It also received financial support from the Inter‐American Development Bank (IADB), Save the Children ‐ Sweden, and the Government of Luxemburg. The Commission also wishes to acknowledge the cooperation of the Special Representative on Violence Against Children Office. The States of the region are confronted every day with the problems associated with criminal offenses committed by persons under the age of 18. International law has clearly established that a juvenile justice system must be in place for children and adolescents who violate criminal laws. But this special justice system does not apply to all children; instead, it applies only to those who have reached the minimum age at which they can be held accountable for violations of criminal law. Once that minimum age has been reached, the juvenile justice system must be applied to all children and adolescents, without any exceptions. Therefore, it is unacceptable for States to exclude from that system any person who has not yet attained adulthood, which, under international law, is at the age of 18. The report adopted by the IACHR identifies the international principles of human rights that juvenile justice systems must observe. This report underlines the member States’ obligations vis‐à‐vis the human rights of children and adolescents accused of violating criminal law. The report makes it clear that a juvenile justice system must ensure that children and adolescents enjoy all the same rights that other human beings enjoy; but it must also provide them with the special protections that their age and stage of development necessitate, in keeping with the main objectives of the juvenile justice system, namely, the rehabilitation of children and adolescents, their comprehensive development and their reincorporation into society to enable them to play a constructive role within it. In its report, the Commission observes that juvenile justice systems must respect the principles of law that specifically apply to minors, and the special ways in which the general principles of law are applied to persons who have not yet attained their adulthood. For example, a juvenile justice system must respect the principle of legality, which means that the system cannot impinge upon the life of children and adolescents by invoking a supposed need for protection or prevention of crime; instead, juvenile justice systems must be applied solely on the basis of pre‐existing law in which a certain conduct has been classified as a criminal offense. Juvenile justice systems must also guarantee the principle of last resort, which means, for example, that it must consider alternatives to adjudication in the case of violations of criminal law, and non‐custodial measures or other forms of deprivation of liberty, which in the case of persons under the age of 18 is to be used only as a last resort. Accordingly, the Commission urges States to move in the direction of eliminating penalties of incarceration in the case of children and adolescents. Furthermore, juvenile justice systems must be specialized, which means that they must feature laws, procedures, authorities and institutions specifically designed for children and adolescents alleged to have violated criminal law. All those working within the juvenile justice system must have received special instruction in children’s rights and be trained to work with children. In its report, the Commission also highlights the point that the due process guarantees, such as the right to a competent judge, the presumption of innocence, the right of defense, the right of appeal and others, must be fully respected in juvenile justice proceedings. The Commission explains the special ways in which these guarantees are observed when persons under the age of 18, who require specific protections, are involved. The Commission commends the legislative strides that many States have taken in recent years. It notes that most States of the region have a special legal framework in place in the area of juvenile justice. In many cases, the framework adopted measures in conformity with international standards on the subject. The Commission also recognizes the efforts made by some countries to bring their juvenile justice practices, institutions and facilities into line with international standards, especially in those States where economic resources are limited. However, the Commission is troubled by the weaknesses within the juvenile justice systems in the region, despite the legislative progress made in many countries since the adoption of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child. Indeed, the Commission observes that there is a significant gap between the language of the States’ laws and the experiences of children and adolescents accused of violating criminal laws. In this report, the Commission examines how, with the exception of a few examples of best practices, the juvenile justice systems of the Americas are characterized by discrimination, violence, lack of specialization, and an abuse of the measures used to deprive juvenile offenders of their freedom. One of the chief causes of concern to the Commission is the fact that in a number of States of the Americas, very young children are held responsible and accountable for violations of criminal law; in some States, children as young as 7 can face criminal prosecution. The Commission is also disturbed by the fact that in the vast majority of States in the region, children and adolescents of 15, 16 and 17, are denied access to the specialized juvenile justice systems and are frequently tried in the ordinary adult criminal justice system, even though they are minors. Under some juvenile justice systems, children and adolescents are often transferred to ordinary courts, where they receive adult sentences and are forced to serve their sentences in adult prisons. Many children and adolescents in the region are thus being denied the protections afforded by the juvenile justice system. In summary, the IACHR is troubled by the practice on the part of some States of denying or offering fewer procedural guarantees, lowering the minimum age of criminal responsibility, and stiffening penal sentences. The Commission is also troubled by the fact that in some cases, children below the minimum age at which they can be held criminally responsible, are deprived of their liberty through so‐called “protective” proceedings that end in punitive measures against the minor; all too often these proceedings are not conducted in strict observance of due process guarantees. The information compiled shows that on occasion, children and adolescents who have been abused, are indigent or have been deprived of their social and economic rights, are treated as criminals or routinely held responsible for violations of criminal law because of their condition in life, and are subjected to the juvenile justice system without ever having violated any criminal law. The same thing happens in the case of children and adolescents deemed to be “beyond parental control,” children and adolescents in “irregular situations,” children and adolescents accused of “status offenses,” i.e., acts they committed that would not be criminalized if committed by adults, or children or adolescents who have mental illnesses or diminished mental capacity who are criminalized instead of being given the proper medical care. The first contact of children and adolescents with the juvenile justice system is through the police, and is frequently a traumatic experience. The police often treat children and adolescents in a discriminatory manner and selectively arrest those that are poorest, belong to minorities, or those identified as belonging to certain groups because of their appearance. The IACHR has learned of police practices in which children and adolescents are routinely detained based on their appearance, or simply for being in certain places or because they are assumed to be 'at‐risk', or abandoned because they are living on the streets or wandering around; the police sometimes round up such children and adolescents because of an increase in crime in some area, or because they are assumed to be gang members. It often happens that children and adolescents who commit or are accused of committing crimes are removed from any contact with family and community ‐ contacts which are essential for the enjoyment of their rights and their development. Despite the international laws requiring that whenever possible, alternatives to adjudication are to be used in the case of children and adolescents, the IACHR report reveals that alternatives of this type are rarely used in most States of the region. The Commission also observes that in some States, officials of the judicial system, especially those outside the major cities, have little or no training in the area of children and human rights. Thus, the proceedings conducted in the juvenile justice system do not always observe due process guarantees and the principle of the best interests of the child. Similarly, although deprivation of liberty should be used only as a last resort in the case of children and adolescents, and should be for the shortest time possible, the Commission’s report shows that most juvenile justice systems in the Americas resort to deprivation of liberty, both before trial and after conviction. The IACHR also observes that the principles that must govern the sentences administered, such as the principle of proportionality, are often ignored in favor of prolonged sentences on the pretext that such sentences aid in the “rehabilitation” of children and adolescents. In some member States, this criterion leads to the imposition of indefinite sentences in which the children and adolescents will remain deprived of their liberty until such time as the person is deemed “rehabilitated” or reaches a certain age. The IACHR is also troubled by the failure to observe the human rights of children and adolescents when they are deprived of their liberty. In its report, the Commission observes that conditions in the facilities in which children and adolescents are deprived of their liberty are, in general, inadequate and often breed violence among the children or adolescents, or by State authorities. Furthermore, the detention conditions do not always properly guarantee the other rights of children and adolescents, rights that must never be restricted they are in custody, such as the right to life, to physical integrity, to health, to food, and to education and recreation. The report also examines how corporal punishment, solitary confinement, the use of psychotropic drugs to control juveniles, and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment continue to be used to discipline children and adolescents deprived of their liberty in the Americas, despite the fact that these punishments are strictly prohibited under international human rights law. The foregoing is compounded by the fact that, in many States, there are no mechanisms for filing complaints or securing independent supervision of the situation of children and adolescents accused of violating criminal laws or deprived of their liberty; in those States that do have such mechanisms, they are underfunded and therefore have very little effect. Thus, the States are not complying with their obligation to adequately prevent, investigate, punish and repair human rights violations of which children and adolescents are frequently victims during all phases of the juvenile criminal justice system. In its report, the Commission calls upon the member States to undertake to comply with their international obligations to protect and guarantee the human rights of children and adolescents in their juvenile justice systems. It also makes a number of specific recommendations concerning the measures that the States must take to adapt their juvenile justice systems to international standards in this area. Details: Washington, DC: Organization of American States, 2011. 179p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 23, 2012 at: http://www.oas.org/en/iachr/children/docs/pdf/JuvenileJustice.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://www.oas.org/en/iachr/children/docs/pdf/JuvenileJustice.pdf Shelf Number: 126980 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquencyJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Justice Systems (Americas)Juvenile Justice, Administration of (Americas)Juvenile OffendersLegal Rights of ChildrenYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Muggah, Robert Title: Assessing and responding to youth violence in Latin America: Surveying the evidence Summary: Violence is one of Latin America´s primary challenge in the twentieth century. A significant number of countries, cities and communities in Central and South American regions suffer rates of violence exceeding war zones. In some cases, violence is collective resulting in spectacular atrocities. In others, violence is interpersonal or domestic, contributing to more subtle, most no less significant, suffering. Many of Latin America´s 33 countries register firearm homicide rates that are amongst the highest on the planet. And while some countries in Latin America such as Argentina, Chile, Cuba, Peru and Uruguay report homicide rates closer to the global average, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela exhibit particularly high levels of insecurity.1 Youth violence is one of the top priorities facing Latin American policy makers. Young males from 15-29 constitute the large proportion of both the perpetrators and victims of homicidal violence. According to the United Nations World Report on Violence against Children, Latin America suffers from the highest youth homicide rates in the world (Pinheiro 2006). The costs of youth violence are profound – generating significant humanitarian and development costs spanning generations. The causes of such violence are also far-reaching ranging from social and economic inequality, juvenile un- and under-0employment and high school drop-out rates to disintegrated family structures, and absence of care and attention, the availability of drugs, alcohol and arms, and high rates of police impunity and incarceration. This overview paper is intended to set out the scale and distribution of youth violence in Latin America and highlight innovative strategies to prevent and reduce it. Far from exhaustive, the report highlights descriptive statistics on homicidal violence in countries that report such data. Likewise, it draws attention to direct and indirect interventions that are associated with declines in youth violence. Only those initiatives backed with robust data are noted in this paper, which is not to suggest that they are the only ones that yield positive outcomes. According to a recent review by the Igarapé Institute, there are just 21 robust evaluations of youth violence reduction efforts in Latin America (Moestue and Muggah 2013). The paper is intended to stimulate critical reflection and discussion at a forthcoming UN-led conference on the post-2015 development agenda in Panama. Details: Rio de Janeiro: Igarapé Institute., 2013. 11p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 22, 2013. Year: 2013 Country: Central America URL: Shelf Number: 129141 Keywords: HomicidesJuvenile DelinquentsViolent CrimeYouth Violence (Latin America) |
Author: Harvey, Rachel Title: From Paper to Practice: An Analysis of the Juvenile Justice System in Honduras Summary: This paper analyses the laws, policies and practice in Honduras for dealing with children in conflict with the law in light of International Minimum Juvenile Justice Standards and Norms. After significant reforms, the juvenile justice system in Honduras seems to uphold these standards. Criminal justice legislation, which has been adopted in the last 10 years to remedy the deficiencies of the old system, largely embraces fundamental human rights and bestows upon children who are in conflict with the law rights that are specific to them. However, when we look beyond the legislation to practice, we find a system that does not consistently uphold the rights that are enshrined in domestic law let alone international minimum juvenile justice standards and norms. Instead we find a system that is hampered and sometimes crippled by a lack of resources, resulting in violations of children’s rights. A lack of political will to address the shortcomings of the juvenile justice system compounds the situation. The focus of the Maduro Government has been the fight against crime, and in particular, the fight against gangs. Four years of a zero tolerance approach has succeeded in reducing the incidents of some types of crimes, however the root causes of offending have been largely neglected. Where efforts have been made to develop prevention, rehabilitation and reintegration programmes, there has been a preoccupation by the State, as well as the NGO sector, with gangs. Such an approach has left limited provision for young offenders, many of whom are locked up for long periods in inhuman conditions without adequate programmes of rehabilitation. Coupled with an absence of reintegration programmes, these young people are highly vulnerable to reoffending on release. While communities may be persuaded to feel safer due to the zero tolerance campaign, the reality is that, at best, the problem of delinquency is simply being delayed and contained for a short number of years. The failure of successive governments to transfer not only international law, but also the standards enshrined in domestic legislation from paper to practice is a grave disservice to both the young people caught in the criminal justice system and to the communities that the State is aiming to protect from crime. The State must act, as a matter of urgency, to address the shortcomings of the juvenile justice system and provide adequate prevention, rehabilitation and reintegration programmes not only to implement children’s rights but to impact upon delinquency in the long term. Details: Colchester, UK: University of Essex, Children’s Legal Centre, 2005. 133p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 5, 2013 at: http://www.streetchildren.org.uk/_uploads/Publications/4.From_Paper_to_Practice.pdf Year: 2005 Country: Honduras URL: http://www.streetchildren.org.uk/_uploads/Publications/4.From_Paper_to_Practice.pdf Shelf Number: 129543 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Justice SystemsStreet Children (Honduras)Youth Gangs |
Author: Senior, Kate Title: Developing Successful Diversionary Schemes for Youth from Remote Aboriginal Communities Summary: This report explores the experiences and aspirations of youth in Wadeye, a remote Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory which has become synonymous with the deviant behaviours of its young people. The research was undertaken over a three year period, and builds upon a previous ten year period of community based research. As such it forms a unique longitudinal study of young people during a period of extreme change in their lives. The research applied a mixed methods approach, utilising ethnography, interviews and the application of a community wide survey. Although young community based people were the primary focus of the study, the research also included the wider community perspectives, service providers and a sample of imprisoned community members. The proliferation of gangs in the Wadeye community has become a primary focus for outsiders' interpretation of social issues in the community. These gangs have been defined by their violent and oppositional cultures. This period of research and the research which preceded it, emphasise the complexity of gang cultures and gang dynamics in this community. The report also emphasises that a primary focus on gangs serves to obscure other factors influencing young people's lives and behaviours. This includes those youth who do not engage in deviant behaviour, who attend school and progress to employment. It also includes youth who engage in non-gang related violent and anti-social behaviour. The report argues that effective service delivery and the development of appropriate diversion activities for young people must recognise the diversity and complexity of the youth experience in the community and recognise and develop their current strengths. Feedback from elders, young people and long-term community workers, advocates that more partnership approaches to further research and program evaluation must become an integral part of the process. Involving young people themselves as part of this research process will provide opportunities to create new roles for them and to establish a positive foundation for the future of the community. Details: Sydney: Criminology Research Advisory Group, 2012. 96p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 27, 2014 at: http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/1314/26-0809-FinalReport.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia URL: http://www.criminologyresearchcouncil.gov.au/reports/1314/26-0809-FinalReport.pdf Shelf Number: 131811 Keywords: AboriginalsAntisocial BehaviorAt-Risk YouthDelinquency PreventionGangsIndigenous PeoplesJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile OffendersLongitudinal Studies |
Author: Hawaii Juvenile Justice Working Group Title: Final Report Summary: Over the last decade, Hawaii has made commendable improvements in its juvenile justice system. Juvenile arrests fell 28 percent, and the number of youth annually admitted to the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility (HYCF) declined 41 percent. With declining juvenile arrests and fewer youth being removed from their homes, Hawaii has been headed in the right direction. Building on its success, the state should aspire to continual improvements. In order to keep heading in the right direction and to further the gains, youth-serving agencies-the Judiciary, the Office of Youth Services (OYS), and the Department of Health, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division (CAMHD)-all agree that resources are needed to fully develop an effective continuum of services in Hawaii's communities. The current resources and means of accessing services allow youth to fall through the cracks. Additional resources for these youth would not only further reduce the number of commitments to HYCF and the detention home, but also help strengthen youth, families, and communities. While fewer in number, the youth who are committed to HYCF are staying longer. More youth enter HYCF for misdemeanors than felonies; more enter for property, drug and other nonviolent offenses than for person offenses; and nearly half have no prior felony adjudications. Each bed at HYCF costs state taxpayers $199,320 per year. Three-quarters of the youth who leave HYCF will be re-adjudicated delinquent or reconvicted within three years. While taking steps in the right direction, Hawaii should get better outcomes from the high costs of HYCF. Moreover, if effective alternatives were available, many of these youth could be held accountable and safely supervised in their communities at far lower cost. Every dollar spent on secure confinement is a dollar Hawaii could otherwise use to build the fully-resourced, evidence-based continuum of supervision and services for delinquent youth that was envisioned during the creation of OYS in 1989. Early access to substance abuse and mental health services is a necessary component of this continuum. Youth with urgent and critical needs must have access to needed treatments to prevent future delinquencies. As Hawaii strives to build up this continuum and provide these tools, the state recognizes that success - for Hawaii's youth, families, and communities - will require hard work, collaboration, compromise, and leadership. Without substantial additional resources allocated by the Legislature, the goal of improving the juvenile justice system in Hawaii cannot be realistically achieved. The agencies responsible for providing these services need the resources necessary to achieve these goals and appropriately serve youth. In August of 2013, Governor Neil Abercrombie, Chief Justice Mark Recktenwald, Senate President Donna Mercado Kim, and House Speaker Joseph Souki established the Hawaii Juvenile Justice Working Group to develop policy recommendations that will accelerate reductions in the state's use of secure beds for lower-level juvenile offenders while protecting public safety and increasing positive outcomes for youth, families, and communities. The Working Group was charged with analyzing Hawaii's data, policies, and practices; reviewing research on evidence-based principles and national best practices; and recommending policies that will move Hawaii toward a more effective, equitable and efficient juvenile justice system. The Working Group's efforts have resulted in a comprehensive set of policy recommendations that will improve the return Hawaii receives from its investment in juvenile justice. By focusing secure beds on juveniles who pose a public safety risk and strengthening community supervision practices across the islands, the recommendations will put more Hawaii youth on the track toward productive, law-abiding lives, and ensure that taxpayer resources are used efficiently. Taken together, the policies are expected to reduce the HYCF population by at least 60 percent by 2019, producing savings of at least $11 million dollars over the next five fiscal years, and provide for reinvestment in local jurisdictions. With those reinvestments, family court judges and probation officers will have more effective supervision and rehabilitation options, leading to reduced recidivism and increased public safety. Details: Honolulu: Hawaii Juvenile Justice Working Group, 2013. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 28, 2014 at: http://www.pewstates.org/uploadedFiles/JJRI-Working-Group-Final-Report-Final.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.pewstates.org/uploadedFiles/JJRI-Working-Group-Final-Report-Final.pdf Shelf Number: 132005 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Justice PolicyJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: McMurtry, Roy Title: The Review of the Roots of Youth Violence. Volume 4, Research papers Summary: The Review has commissioned a number of literature reviews and research papers to help fulfill its mandate. Some of the leading Canadian experts in the fields of criminology, sociology and race relations have authored these materials. This volume contains the following papers: A Province at the Crossroads: Statistics on Youth Violence in Ontario, by Scot Wortley; Youth Crime: The Impact of Law Enforcement Approaches on the Incidence of Violent Crime Involving Youth and Matters Related to Understanding the Implications of These Findings, by Anthony N. Doob, Jane B. Sprott and Cheryl Marie Webster; A Comparative Analysis of Youth Justice Approaches, by Tullio Caputo and Michel Vallee; Racial Minority Perspectives on Violence, by Rinaldo Walcott, Cecil Foster, Mark Campbell, and David Sealy; A Methodology to Identify Communities in Ontario Where High or Increasing Relative Disadvantage May Lead to Youth Violence, By Desmond Ellis; and Governance Models for the Roots of Youth Violence, by the Institute on Governance. Details: Ottawa: Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2008. 492p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 7, 2014 at: http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/english/documents/topics/youthandthelaw/rootsofyouthviolence-vol4.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Canada URL: http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/english/documents/topics/youthandthelaw/rootsofyouthviolence-vol4.pdf Shelf Number: 132625 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquentsJuvenile OffendersNeighborhoods and CrimeViolent CrimeYouth Violence |
Author: Ling, Li Ngai Title: Youth gangs in Hong Kong: the convergence of conventions and deviations Summary: Youth gangs, which have long been the focus of media reports and academic discussion, are commonly regarded as a social problem in Hong Kong. Gangs are popularly characterized in Hong Kong as being delinquent and criminal in orientation. This popular representation of gang life, however, serves only to heighten public anxiety over gangs and young people. This research, hence, explores the dynamics involved in youth gangs. Through an ethnographic exploration of a gang in Heng On Estate, Ma On Shan, this research provides a picture different from the one portrayed in the dominant discourse by demonstrating that the members spend most of their time engaged in conventional social activities. The gang, to its members, is a solution to boredom and serves as their alternative family. This alternative family helps them to cope with the strains due to the failure to attain the middle-class standards prescribed in school and the malfunction of their families. The youth gang members, out of public expectations, are only involved in delinquency and crime occasionally. They exhibit a drifting, continuous, repetitive pattern in committing old delinquent and criminal infractions. It is the growing sense of injustice and the resulting loosened moral bond that sets the foundation for deviating from "conventional" culture. The actual infractions are activated by the members' will. However, this choice is not made out of total freedom. The willingness to commit delinquency depends on the perceived moral and technical feasibility according to Matza's concept of delinquent drift. This research adds that peer pressure and gender also exert influences on the pattern of the drift to delinquency. This thesis argues that youth gang membership is a form of convergence of both conventional and deviant values. Joining a gang and involvement in delinquent and criminal behaviors represents young people's attempts to follow deviant values. Conventional values, on the contrary, appear in youth gangs in a more subtle way. On the one hand, they guide conventional social activities. On the other hand, quite often, the decision of whether one should turn to delinquency, and the patterns of delinquent infractions are also influenced by conventional ideas. Details: Hong Kong: University of Hong Kong, 2005. 165p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed September 10, 2014 at: http://hub.hku.hk/handle/10722/40289 Year: 2005 Country: Hong Kong URL: http://hub.hku.hk/handle/10722/40289 Shelf Number: 133264 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquencyJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Gangs (Hong Kong)Youth Gangs |
Author: Betsinger, Sara Title: Doors to Detention: Statewide Detention Utilization Study Summary: Despite recent drops in juvenile crime in Maryland, the number of youth in secure detention has remained relatively constant. This study investigates the characteristics of youth detained, and the reasons for each detention during the first two months in 2013. Findings: - Just two regions of the State account for a majority of youth in detention. Although they account for only 41% of Maryland's youth population, Baltimore City and the Metro Region (encompassing Prince George's and Montgomery County) comprise 64% percent of detention placements and 60% of average detained population (ADP). - Detained youth in Maryland are overwhelmingly African American males. African American males represent just 31% of the general youth population, but account for 67% of detained youth. - A majority of youth detained in Maryland were under DJS supervision at the time of detention. Sixty-seven percent of youth in detention had already been court ordered to probation or committed supervision (i.e., aftercare). - Although historically around one-third of youth in detention facilities were detained awaiting a committed out of home placement ("Pending Placement" youth), this number has declined markedly in the last year. Various reforms, including Continuum of Care legislation passed in 2012 as well as the subsequent establishment of the Department's Central Review Committee, have begun to reduce the backlog of pending placement youth in detention. During the study period, just 14% of detained youth were pending placement. - A majority of youth detained in Maryland did not commit a violent felony offense. Although more than one-third (36%) of the pre-disposition ADP was comprised of youth whose most recent, most serious alleged offense was a crime of violence, 44% of the pre-disposition ADP consisted of youth who had committed a non-violent misdemeanor as their most serious recent alleged offense. - A new delinquent offense is frequently not the main reason for a detention placement. Detentions often result from a youth's failure to comply with program or supervision conditions, or from some other infraction unrelated to the original offense and not comprising a new offense. Such technical violations account for over 35% of detained youth. - Many youth are detained following a stay in an alternative to detention (ATD) program. Maryland has a robust community-based detention alternatives system, but many youth who were initially court-ordered or intake-authorized into these programs are ultimately detained following a violation of the programs rules or the court order. Infractions include curfew violations, absences without leave (AWOL), equipment tampering, or other actions not rising to the level of a new delinquent offense. Such ATD violations account for one in four youth detained - the largest door to detention in Maryland. A system of graduated sanctions is being developed to allow programs to manage violators without resorting to detention. - The Department's Detention Risk Assessment Instrument (DRAI) drives relatively few detention decisions. Because a majority of detentions do not stem from a new delinquent offense being referred to DJS Intake (and are instead the result of violations or other policies and practices), the practice of administering the DRAI almost exclusively at the point of Intake has not been effective in driving decisions for youth who enter detention through the "back doors." - Even in cases where a new delinquent complaint is referred to DJS Intake, the youth's assessed DRAI risk is frequently not the primary factor in the detention decision. Policy and discretionary overrides often trump detention recommendations based on assessed risk, so a youth who is classified as low risk and who has a less serious alleged offense may still be detained at intake if, for example: - There is an open writ or warrant; - A parent of guardian is unable to take custody of a youth; or - Certain regional policies (or "special decisions") mandate detention for certain offenses (e.g. auto theft) or situations (handgun use or possession). - Low risk youth account for a very small share of the average detained population. Even though the risk score is not the primary driver of detention in many cases, the study found that half of the average detained population was comprised of youth who were assessed by the DRAI as high risk, and just six percent of ADP was comprised of youth who were determined to be low risk. The remaining 44% of ADP was made up of medium risk offenders. Details: Baltimore: The Institute for Innovation & Implementation, 2013. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 29, 2014 at: http://www.djs.state.md.us/docs/Statewide%20DUS%20-%206-27-13.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.djs.state.md.us/docs/Statewide%20DUS%20-%206-27-13.pdf Shelf Number: 133469 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquentsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Justice Systems (Maryland)Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Lapp, Kevin Title: Databasing Delinquency Summary: For over a century, legislatures and officials have restrained the criminal justice system's ability to collect information about youth. Databasing Delinquency explains how juveniles now find themselves indefinitely cataloged in sex offender registries, gang databases, and DNA databases. It documents the unprecedented breadth and permanence of law enforcement and court record-keeping. And it shows how schools have become mandated law enforcement informants. Moreover, services both public and private make this information available to law enforcement nationwide, employers, government agencies, colleges and the general public. The expansion of this modern culture of "dataveillance" to youth has profound implications. It not only harms individual youth in permanent and stigmatizing ways, it reshapes the very meaning of childhood. Putting the developmental characteristics of youth, and childhood, at the center of the analysis, the article reveals the incoherence and destructiveness of databasing delinquency. Mindful of the public safety benefits and inevitability of law enforcement information gathering, the article calls for limits on the amount of information that the criminal justice system can gather, store and share about juveniles. This would add appropriate restraints so that public safety gains from databasing do not come at the expense of juvenile privacy, juveniles' life chances, or childhood itself. Details: Los Angeles: Loyola University School of Law, 2015. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Loyola-LA Legal Studies Paper : Accessed March 26, 2015 at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2576056 Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2576056 Shelf Number: 135056 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquentsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Records |
Author: New Zealand. Ministry of Social Development Title: Evaluation Report for the Military-style Activity Camp (MAC) Programme Summary: This report outlines the findings from an evaluation of the Military-style Activity Camp (MAC) programme. The MAC programme, introduced in October 2010 as part of the Government's Fresh Start reforms, targets 40 of the most serious and persistent youth offenders in New Zealand each year. MACs are delivered in partnership by Child, Youth and Family (CYF) and the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF). The evaluation, carried out between February and June 2013, identifies parts of the MAC programme that are working well or not so well and examines early evidence regarding the overall effectiveness of the MAC programme. The evaluation uses several methods of data collection, including qualitative interviews with residential and community-based staff and a small number of young people; an analysis of CYF administrative data; in-depth case studies of four young people; and a reoffending outcomes analysis for MAC participants taking place six months and 12 months after completion of their Supervision with Residence (SwR) orders. Details: Wellington, NZ: Ministry of Social Development, 2013. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 2, 2015 at: www.msd.govt.nz Year: 2013 Country: New Zealand URL: www.msd.govt.nz Shelf Number: 135140 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquentsJuvenile OffendersRecidivismTreatment ProgramsWilderness Treatment Programs |
Author: Thomas, Rachel Natasha Title: Using 'Equine-Assisted Therapy' to Aid the Rehabilitation of Young Offenders: An Evaluative Case Study of 'TheHorseCourse' Charity Summary: Interest in the potential of equine-assisted therapy and learning, where horses are incorporated in therapeutic, rehabilitative and learning interventions to ameliorate mental, emotional, behavioural and social issues, has increased over the past half century. Most recently, equine-assisted therapy has been adopted to aid the rehabilitation of offenders within the context of prisons. However, there is a demonstrable lack of peer-reviewed research and published evaluative studies examining the effectiveness of these emerging programmes. The purpose of this research was to produce a case study of TheHorseCourse, an equine-assisted offending behaviour programme at HMP/YOI Portland, and contribute to the evidential base regarding the programme's effectiveness. Given the infancy of research within this field, this research also aimed to contribute to the emerging knowledge base regarding the benefit of equine therapy interventions. The perceived impact and personal experiences of seventeen young offenders who participated on the course were explored. Secondary analysis of existing qualitative, semi-structured interviews with offenders following the completion of the course was conducted, drawing upon an open coding process to identify emergent themes. Results illustrated that TheHorseCourse has the potential to transform dysfunctional attitudes, thoughts and behaviour, improve engagement with the prison regime and develop skills in psychological resilience, emotion management and anger management. Based on these findings it appears possible to argue with some confidence that TheHorseCourse is an effective programme, contributing to the resocialisation and rehabilitation processes of offenders. There is a definite need for rigorous research that empirically validates the benefit of equine-assisted therapy if the programme is to be accepted and advanced. In the meantime, this research suggests that TheHorseCourse is a promising and innovative intervention, advancing further evidence of the potential value of this emerging therapeutic programme. Details: Southampton, UK: University of Southampton, 2013. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed April 20, 2015 at: http://www.thehorsecourse.org/docs/thehorsecourse-dissertation-rachel-thomas.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.thehorsecourse.org/docs/thehorsecourse-dissertation-rachel-thomas.pdf Shelf Number: 135276 Keywords: Correctional ProgramsHorsesJuvenile DelinquentsRehabilitation Programs (U.K.)Therapeutic ProgramsYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: Maryland. Administrative Office of the Courts Title: A Registry of Juvenile Court Program Initiatives Summary: Through its 1969 enactment of the revised Juvenile Causes Subtitle, the Maryland General Assembly intended to create a separate system of courts, procedure and method of treatment for juveniles that is civil in nature, rather than criminal. The underlying concept of juvenile law is the protection of the juvenile, so that when judges make dispositions in juvenile cases, they consider the child's need for protection or rehabilitation, not the child's guilt. Juvenile law does not contemplate the punishment of children where they are found to be delinquent, instead it attempts to correct and rehabilitate them. The Judiciary has responded to the spirit and latitude of the unique nature of juvenile proceedings as legislated. Within the courtroom judges have adapted national models of problem solving courts to respond to local issues. Juvenile drug courts and family recovery courts specifically address the substance abuse of delinquent youth and parents who have had their children removed from their care as a result of their misuse of controlled substances. The models listed in this registry range widely among counties, but share the core values of treatment and of accountability to the Court. Intensive monitoring of these participants by the assigned judge results in a relationship that research has demonstrated plays a key role in the participant's recovery. Further, the Maryland Courts have supported the extended use of alternative dispute resolution methods in delinquency, child in need of assistance and termination of parental rights cases. Youthful offenders who are confronted by their victims in a structured Community Conference, a restorative justice model, are more likely to pay restitution and less likely to re-offend. Mediation of post adoption contact agreements between biological and adoptive parents lessens the trauma to all parties, lowers the number of contested termination of parental rights cases and reduces the time to achieve permanency. This Registry of Juvenile Court Program Initiatives demonstrates many collaborative, innovative and effective strategies that are based on national models and implemented throughout the state. These joint efforts demonstrate understanding by the judicial, legislative and executive leadership in Maryland that juveniles are unique, requiring judges to extend law and justice beyond the courtroom to achieve the ultimate safety and welfare of youth and the community. The registry is the first compilation of these programs and marks the beginning of a comprehensive review and analysis of court-based and court-referred programs in the juvenile delinquency arena. The Department of Family Administration will begin compiling and evaluating available data on these programs with the hope of learning which programs are effective and warrant further investment and expansion. The sensitivity, significance and separateness of juvenile proceedings is underscored by the legislative amendments added in 2001, which require the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals to approve the circuit administrative judge's juvenile assignment selection. The amendments further state that juvenile judges possess a personal interest in and experience with children, as well as the desire and temperament to address problems likely to come before the juvenile court. The rotation of judges through juvenile court was also modified to specifically state that juvenile judges are not subject to automatic rotation, presumably precluding assignment of judges better suited to other matters while preserving the ability of effective judges to remain longer than a minimum term. The General Assembly's recognition that youth charged with delinquent acts (crimes if committed by adults) require unique proceedings and consequences was echoed by the United States Supreme Court in Roper v. Simmons. Relying largely on psychological and scientific evidence the Court held that execution for a crime committed by a juvenile under the age of 18 is cruel and unusual punishment that violates the Eighth Amendment. The Court considered three differences between juveniles and adults in reaching these conclusions: 1) comparative immaturity and irresponsibility, 2) increased vulnerability and susceptibility to negative influences and outside pressures, including peer pressures, and 3) a juvenile's character being less formed than an adult's, with personality traits that are more transitory and less fixed. Historically, the executive agencies have been responsible for programming for families and children involved with juvenile court. However, the Judiciary has recognized that families with increasingly complex problems are appearing in their courtroom. For example, child neglect can be a result of parental substance abuse, delinquent youth often have learning difficulties that lead to spiraling truancy and dropout rates, and abused children committed to the Department of Social Services sometimes "cross over" to the delinquency system and are in need of mental health treatment. Details: Baltimore: Maryland Judiciary, 2013. 119p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 24, 2015 at: http://www.courts.state.md.us/family/publications/programregistry20130325.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.courts.state.md.us/family/publications/programregistry20130325.pdf Shelf Number: 137315 Keywords: Juvenile CourtsJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile LawJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Treatment Programs |
Author: Parker, Khristy Title: Juvenile Justice Referrals and Charges in Alaska, FY 2006-2015 Summary: This fact sheet presents juvenile justice statistics from the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS), Division of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) for state fiscal years 2006-2015. Law enforcement agencies make referrals to DJJ if there is probable cause that a youth committed an offense which would be criminal if committed by an adult, committed a felony traffic offense, or committed an alcohol offense after two prior District Court convictions for minor consuming. Youth who commit very serious offenses such as murder and sexual assault may be waived, or moved, to the adult criminal justice system. Youth waived to adult court may be prosecuted at the discretion of the district attorney. DJJ is a restorative justice agency whose mission is to hold juvenile offenders accountable for their behavior, promote the safety and restoration of victims and communities, and assist offenders and their families in developing skills to prevent crime. DJJ has three components: Probation, Detention, and Treatment, all overseen by the state office. This report focuses on data for youth referrals to the Probation component of DJJ (which also processes intake) for the period FY 2006-2015. DJJ services are directed through four separate regional administrative units that differ widely in demographic and geographic makeup. The Anchorage Region (ANC) covers the Anchorage metropolitan area. The Northern Region (NRO) includes Fairbanks and much of rural Alaska from Bethel to Barrow. The South Central Region (SCRO) covers the southern portion of the state from the Aleutians in the west through Prince William Sound in the east. The Southeast Region (SERO) covers the entire Southeast panhandle from Yakutat to Metlakatla. The data presented in the figures and tables below reflect the referrals, charges, and number of unique referred individuals for Alaska FY 2006-2015. All of the data were extracted from the DJJ Data Trends website Details: Anchorage: Alaska Juvenile Statistical Analysis Center, 2016. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: Fact Sheet: Accessed March 16, 2016 at: http://justice.uaa.alaska.edu/ajsac/2016/ajsac.16-02.djj_referrals.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://justice.uaa.alaska.edu/ajsac/2016/ajsac.16-02.djj_referrals.pdf Shelf Number: 138267 Keywords: Juvenile Court TransfersJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersWaiver of Juvenile Court Jurisdiction |
Author: Herz, Denise C. Title: The Los Angeles County Juvenile Probation Outcomes Study Summary: In Los Angeles County, an alarming number of children and youth live in unsafe, impoverished communities with entrenched violence, have struggling and isolated parents, and attend poorly performing schools. As a result, many of these children and youth end up in the County's health, mental health, child welfare, human services, and juvenile justice systems. Children who enter the juvenile justice system, in particular, face myriad challenges. Research demonstrates that these vulnerable young people often have risk and need factors that include: low academic achievement, mental health and/or substance abuse issues, negative peer networks, and lack of appropriate parental supervision. Los Angeles Probation-involved youth, for example, often face the following risk and need factors: - Education: Standardized tests indicate that youth placed in probation camps are, on average, 16.7 years old and therefore are in the 11th grade but are achieving at a fifth grade level in math and reading (McCroskey, 2006, p. 2). California High School Exit Examination 2003-04 results for graduates from 492 Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) students in juvenile hall and Community Day School programs show that only 26% passed the English Language Arts exam, compared with 70% of all students in the County who took and passed the exam. Additionally, LACOE data show that the percentage of students identified as requiring special education was higher than the national average of 13.7%.1 Of the 2,047 students enrolled in juvenile hall schools as of November 2005, 79% (n=1,617) were classified as regular education students and 21% (n=430) were classified as special education students. - Mental Health: In 2008, a UCLA research study on Los Angeles' juvenile Probation camp population reported that 58% of youth had received counseling or mental health services prior to being placed in Probation Department camps, with 65% receiving such services during their stay at camp. The same study also found that the most common mental health problems reported by youth who self-identified with a mental health problem were depression and anger. - Substance Abuse: An external survey conducted with youth in Probation Camps found that 58% of Probation-involved youth reported they had received a prior diagnosis of substance abuse and dependency. Additionally, according to a UCLA study on Los Angeles Probation Camps, over one-third of Probation-involved youth have been in an alcohol or drug placement in the past, including 43% of girls and 36% of boys). Because so many Probation-involved youth enter the juvenile justice system with these factors, the Probation Department may be viewed as the primary agency responsible for resolving these issues. Probation, however, cannot address all of these risk factors alone. Instead it relies on collaboration with other County departments, including Health Services, Mental Health and Public Health, whose staff have expertise in health, behavioral health and other child and family issues. For example, an early study (1995) using cross-departmental data linkages to identify families being served by multiple Los Angeles County departments underscores this point. Findings from this study showed that, during that year, 59.4% of Probation families also received services from DPSS, 25.5% also received services from DCFS, 30.3% also received services from DHS, and 18.2% also received services from DMH (Los Angeles County Children's Planning Council, Data Analysis and Technical Assistance Committee, 1995). Despite these findings, identifying and documenting shared connections across County agencies is nearly impossible because agency data systems are seldom integrated, and the interpretation of confidentiality protections limits the exchange of information across agencies. Without interagency coordination, though, youth and families may not receive the services they need, they may receive duplicative services, and/or they may receive inappropriate services. A starting point to better serve Probation-involved youth and families is a better understanding of the characteristics and needs of Probation-involved youth and their outcomes over time. Unfortunately, defining and consistently reporting outcomes for youth under Probation supervision has been elusive for at least three reasons. First, Probation lacks the data and sophisticated data systems necessary to produce meaningful outcome measures. In 2010, Harvard Kennedy School researchers conducting a review of juvenile reentry in Los Angeles County reported that the Probation Department was unable to provide the following information in a timely and comprehensive manner: - educational outcomes in camps and after (high school/GED completion rates, drop-out rates, rates of re-enrollment in school after camp); - percent of youth receiving mental health services; - percent of youth receiving substance abuse services; - percent of youth participating in reentry programs; - what reentry programs youth are currently accessing; - rates of recidivism that capture camp return and entrance in the adult criminal justice system (beyond six month subsequent sustained charge); and, - number of youth violating their Probation terms. Second, the use of data produced by Probation's information system is often driven by compliance rather than case management, quality improvement, or assessing practice over time. In other words, the most readily available and used Probation data elements tend to reflect whether a required protocol was completed, rather than the impact of that practice on youth outcomes. Third, Probation is limited in what it can collect, share and have access to - particularly in terms of mental health and education data - based on legal restraints and confidentiality concerns. Despite knowing that many youth "cross over" between the child protective services and juvenile justice systems, for example, shared access to the Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) has been limited due to strict interpretation of statutes and regulations designed to protect confidentiality (see, for example, the Federal Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information Systems [SACWIS] regulations). Collectively, the challenges to interagency coordination and the urgent need for clear and consistent outcomes make a compelling argument for increased attention to the data systems that undergird Probation practices and program, so that County decisions are guided by standardized data collection based on desired outcomes for youth and shared information can drive better interagency coordination and collaboration. Specifically, this study focuses on youth placed in suitable placement and camps (i.e., youth who penetrate deeply into the juvenile justice system) because their experiences and stories arguably provide the unique opportunity to: (1) identify how agencies, communities, and families can better prevent youth entry into the juvenile justice system; (2) provide insight into how to prevent youth who enter the juvenile justice system from reaching the point of being placed in out-of-home care (suitable placement) and/or Probation camps; (3) provide direction on how to build an integrated and coordinated response system that would address the complex needs of youth and families, particularly those who penetrate deeply into the system; and, (4) identify key outcomes that can be measured consistently and regularly (e.g., annually) by Probation, LACOE and allied County departments. This report begins by providing an overview of the need for and purpose of juvenile justice data as well as the current structures of data collection in Los Angeles County (Chapter 1). Next, it examines the characteristics and situational contexts of youth exiting from suitable placements and juvenile camp placements during 2011 (Chapters 2 & 3). Eight in-depth youth case histories taken from Probation records are presented to illustrate the context within which these youths' stories unfold from the perspective of the Probation Officers who supervise and oversee youth in the system (Chapter 4). Based on the findings presented in this report, Chapter 5 presents recommendations to improve practice through targeted reform and improved use of data. Details: Los Angeles: Advancement Project, 2015. 156p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 17, 2016 at: http://www.cdfca.org/library/publications/2015/la-probation-outcomes.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.cdfca.org/library/publications/2015/la-probation-outcomes.pdf Shelf Number: 138315 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquentsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationProbation Camps |
Author: Chung, Angela Title: Rising Up, Speaking Out: Youth Transforming Los Angeles County's Juvenile Justice System Summary: When youth are taken away from their homes and communities and placed under the custody of a juvenile justice system, all of us have an important responsibility to ensure that during this most formative period of their lives, young people heal and are prepared to succeed when they return to their communities. Instead, our most vulnerable young people, overwhelmingly youth of color, end up locked up in juvenile justice facilities across the U.S. and in Los Angeles County. These facilities are all too often warehouses, where youth are retraumatized and deprived of a quality education and support system. In fact, many youth are more likely to return to their communities under-resourced, overcriminalized, and pre-programmed for adult prisons rather than on a direct path toward college or career. In short, the juvenile justice system has failed in its promise of rehabilitation. Los Angeles County - home to the largest juvenile justice system in the U.S. - now has a historic opportunity to leave behind its outdated and harmful correctional camp model. Over the last decade, the Los Angeles County Probation Department - driven in part by lawsuits and the Department of Justice (DOJ) monitoring - has implemented a number of reforms to address the problems and abuse found in their camps. But these changes are not enough; what is needed is true transformation. By tearing down the decades-old Camp Kilpatrick - a relic of the penitentiary-like, boot-camp style that Los Angeles County built in the 1960s -the county is piloting a therapeutic approach to working with young people. Referred to as the Los Angeles Model (LA Model), this approach is inspired by promising practices across the country, including the Missouri Model, which pioneered a non-institutional and homelike approach to treatment for youth removed from their communities. It is built on the notion that youth cannot heal, change and thrive without safety, and that safety is best achieved through relationship-building and positive youth development. The LA Model is an unprecedented collaboration among the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Probation Department, Office of Education (LACOE), Department of Mental Health (DMH), advocates, researchers, youth and families. If successful, this collaboration can be a model for juvenile justice reform throughout the state of California. The most important voices in guiding and informing the LA Model and any juvenile justice reform in this country are youth who have experienced the system. In this policy brief, five young people - in partnership with CDF-CA's policy researchers - share their own unique experiences inside probation camps and amplify key recommendations from an important UCLA focus group study on how to improve conditions inside Los Angeles County's camps. This brief weighs in on the debate around what works, what does not work, and what should be changed in juvenile justice facilities, while bringing to light the voices, experiences and ideas for change of those who have experienced the system. Details: Los Angeles: Children's Defense Fund - California, 2015. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Policy Brief: Accessed March 18, 2016 at: http://www.cdfca.org/library/publications/2015/rising-up-speaking-out.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.cdfca.org/library/publications/2015/rising-up-speaking-out.pdf Shelf Number: 138328 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquentsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile InmatesJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Rosario, Giselle Title: Evaluation Summary of the Velocity Adventure Program Summary: Velocity is an adventure-based program aimed to reduce anti-social behaviour, increase attachment to school, and reduce substance-use among at-risk youth. It was identified as a promising intervention that helps youth overcome adversity, create and enhance their connections in the community, and make healthy lifestyle choices. Velocity is based on research that demonstrates the effectiveness of outdoor adventure-based programs in helping troubled youth channel their energy into more positive behaviours. Velocity targets youth, aged 13 to18 years, who are at risk of, or who have already been involved in criminal activity. The program addresses key risk factors associated with involvement in crime, including aggressive and anti-social behaviour, substance abuse, and poor attachment to school. The program has three chronological components: - Group-building day trip adventures (e.g. kayaking, rock-climbing) to establish program expectations, build relationships with staff and promote group cohesiveness; - 7-day Adventure Camp with activities in a remote setting (e.g. zip-lining, horseback riding) in combination with life skills and personal development activities; and - Engage-Connect-Shift, which provides ongoing adventure day trips, individual support from project workers and workshops. Velocity's programming was comprised of trust and communication activities, goal-setting, life skills, experiential learning, high adventure pursuits and health promotion. Youth were also provided with individual support, community referrals and on-going encouragement towards healthy lifestyles. The length of the program was one year including the selection process. Selection of youth participants into the program involved two referral forms and all data was documented in a data system. Details: Ottawa: Public Safety Canada, 2015. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report: 2015-R012: Accessed March 22, 2016 at: https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/2015-r012/2015-r012-eng.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Canada URL: https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/2015-r012/2015-r012-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 138381 Keywords: Adventure ProgramsAnti-Social BehaviorAt-Risk YouthJuvenile DelinquentsRecreational ProgramsSubstance Abuse |
Author: Elsass, H. Jaymi Title: Juvenile delinquency outliers: an analysis of high rate offenders and pure conformists Summary: While the study of juvenile delinquency and young adult crime has a long history in a variety of disciplines, including criminology, criminal justice, sociology, and psychology, much of the research has been focused on the normalcy of law-violating behavior - the vast majority of young people break the law at some point, do so in groups, and age out of crime by early adulthood. Typically this delinquency is relatively minor and infrequent. There has been little research on two of the most interesting outliers of youthful crime and delinquency, namely high-rate offenders and pure conformists. There is much to be learned from the experiences of those juveniles and young adults who deviate from the statistically normal pattern of minor group offending during adolescence. Data from Waves I and II of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health are analyzed using conjunctive analysis of case configurations, binary logistic regression, and multinomial logistic regression in order to uncover correlations between the groups of juveniles. The results of these analyses indicate that there are at least two distinct types of pure conformity - active and passive pure conformists. Active pure conformists likely sit on the opposite end of the delinquency spectrum from high-rate offenders. There is mixed evidence as to whether passive pure conformists are more similar to high-rate offenders than they are to either active pure conformists or statistically normal juveniles. Considerations for future research, as well as limitations of the current work, are also discussed. Details: San Marcos, TX: Texas State University, 2015. 208p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed March 28, 2016 at: https://digital.library.txstate.edu/bitstream/handle/10877/5876/ELSASS-DISSERTATION-2015.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: https://digital.library.txstate.edu/bitstream/handle/10877/5876/ELSASS-DISSERTATION-2015.pdf?sequence=1 Shelf Number: 138442 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquentsJuvenile OffendersSerious Juvenile Offenders |
Author: McMurtry, Roy Title: The Review of the Roots of Youth Violence: Volume 1: Findings, Analysis and Conclusions Summary: Ontario is at a crossroads. While it is a safe place for most, our review identified deeply troubling trends in the nature of serious violent crime involving youth in Ontario and the impacts it is having on many communities. Those trends suggest that, unless the roots of this violence are identified and addressed in a coordinated, collaborative and sustained way, violence will get worse. More people will be killed, communities will become increasingly isolated and disadvantaged, an ever-accelerating downward cycle will ensue for far too many, and our social fabric as a province could be seriously damaged. To open the door for this kind of review required wisdom and foresight. We commend Premier Dalton McGuinty for asking the bold questions that led to these conclusions. In an era when many seek short-term political gain by simply calling for more law enforcement, despite chiefs of police stressing that "we cannot arrest our way out of this problem," the Premier took a different approach. He gave us a wide mandate and full independence to look at where the violence is coming from, and to identify ways to address its roots, in order to advance the health, safety and long-term prosperity of Ontario. This has been a most challenging assignment. Ontario is a large and diverse province. The issues are interconnected and controversial. Time was limited, and both the pressures and expectations have been high. We nonetheless thank the Premier for the opportunity he gave us to explore the deep and complex issues that lie behind the roots of violence involving youth. We describe in our report the process we followed to understand those issues. In a little over 10 months, we or our staff met with over 750 people, whether in their individual capacities or as representatives of organizations. We met with more than a dozen Ontario deputy ministers, several on more than one occasion. We met with Ontario's Poverty Reduction Committee and its political and public service staff, and separately with certain Cabinet ministers. And, as directed in our mandate, we established a strong working relationship with the City of Toronto and the United Way, whose leadership on these kinds of issues is well-known. We also commissioned a youth-led neighbourhood insight process to delve, as deeply as time permitted, into the issues facing eight neighbourhoods in the province. We engaged the Grassroots Youth Collaborative, a consortium of highly diverse youth-led organizations, to help us hear youth voices in Toronto that might otherwise not have come to our attention. We also engaged the Ontario Federation of Indian Friendship Centres to bring us the views of urban Aboriginal youth from across the province. As well, we commissioned five major research papers and two comprehensive literature reviews, obtained 11 background papers from Ontario ministries, provided provincewide access to our work via a website, an online survey and a 1-800 number, and travelled to England to better understand some particularly relevant approaches there. Nonetheless, we do not profess to have studied all that could have been studied, nor to have met with all who could have helped us with our task. We have almost certainly not done full justice to the work of all who shared their ideas and insights with us and may have failed to fully credit everyone whose ideas inspired us. In all of our work, we joined a conversation rather than started one. We have been encouraged by the large number of people, most certainly including youth, who are bringing expertise and energy to bear on the issue of violence in Ontario. They include people within all orders of government, in community agencies and organizations, and in communities themselves. We have also been encouraged by the commitment the Premier has shown to addressing some key aspects of this issue in recent initiatives such as full-day learning for four- and five-year-olds and the appointment of a Cabinet committee to develop "a focused poverty reduction strategy with measures, indicators and reasonable targets by the end of 2008." For reasons we discuss in our report, we focused on the most serious violence involving youth. We also address the other forms of violence that can be its precursors, but consider the heart of the matter to be those youth who are so alienated and disconnected from our society that they carry guns and often use them in impulsive ways, demonstrating indifference to the consequences and placing no value on human life. We inquired into the mindset of those youth and, from that analysis, we identified the immediate risk factors for their behaviour. This then led us to the roots of those factors and to actions to address those roots. We found the roots to be extensive and pervasive. They permeate society, but are intertwined and particularly virulent in certain neighbourhoods, and made worse everywhere when they include racism. Our core finding can be simply stated: neither the breadth nor the depth of the roots is taken into account in shaping public policy in Ontario. The initiatives underway to address various aspects of them are largely inadequate for the task, and there is no structure to give coherence to those initiatives. Overall, Ontario has not recognized how vital it is to the health of this province to put an aligned and sustained approach to the roots of violence involving youth at the heart of the government's agenda. In reaching these conclusions, we did not adopt a rigid definition of youth. The roots of the immediate risk factors can take hold even before birth and continue to pose threats all through a child's life. Similarly, there is no accepted upper limit on who should be considered a youth, and we do not propose to create one. Certainly, the definition should go beyond the age limit for the Youth Criminal Justice Act (18), up to some point in a youth's early to mid-20s, but there is no benefit in trying to be more precise than that in looking at violence involving youth and considering actions to address its roots. In approaching our work, we were asked not to reinvent the wheel. We found little need to do so. Good work and good ideas abound. To work with that metaphor, we found many excellent "wheels." The problem, however, is that they are not all connected to the same vehicle, and those that are on the same vehicle frequently have separate steering systems and often separate drivers with different ideas of what the destination is and how to get there. That is why we give the highest priority to governance, and otherwise tend to provide more advice than recommendations. What matters most is getting the wheels onto vehicles that are following an agreed-upon map to a shared destination. We are confident that the destination we describe in our report is the right one. It focuses on repairing a social context that is broken for many youth; strengthening neighbourhoods and community agencies; establishing clear outcome goals for initiatives for youth; providing youth with engagement, hope and opportunity; and aligning the provincial ministries to deliver a coordinated, collaborative agenda of change over the long term, including by working effectively with other orders of government and community residents. Having described that destination, we are largely content to leave the details to the planning process we describe in the balance of this report. We do not make a lot of detailed recommendations because so doing would suggest that there are neat, discrete solutions to problems that are deep and intertwined. In our view, only an integrated, collaborative and sustained approach to the roots will succeed. That is why we propose a body at the centre of government with the mandate and resources to consider our advice, situate it within the context of the balance of the government"s agenda, determine priorities, make linkages among ministries and with other governments, and manage a process of both building and being responsive to communities across the province. Only this kind of body and approach will be able to produce a coherent, long-range plan for the province, set agendas for ministries individually and collectively, establish overall and interim targets and monitor work towards them to ensure an aligned and sustained response. We are confident that, with this kind of strong coordination and leadership, we can rely upon Ontario's ministries and their partners to do the detailed planning required to respond to the advice we offer throughout our report. This need not be a lengthy exercise, but it will call for a major focus from many ministries. Given that focus and the leadership structure we propose, we believe that the planning exercise can be completed, and the plans made public, by May 2009. In the result, the recommendations we make to the Premier emphasize the need to recognize the breadth of the issues and to address them by creating significant new governance mechanisms to coordinate the energy and capacity that are waiting and eager to take on the work that must be done. Details: Ottawa: Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2008. 458p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 1, 2016 at: http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/topics/youthandthelaw/roots/volume1/chapter01_intro.aspx Year: 2008 Country: Canada URL: http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/topics/youthandthelaw/roots/volume1/chapter01_intro.aspx Shelf Number: 138524 Keywords: Juvenile Delinquents Juvenile Offenders Neighborhoods and Crime Violent CrimeYouth Violence |
Author: McMurtry, Roy Title: The Review of the Roots of Youth Violence: Volume 2: Executive Summary Summary: When Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty asked us to undertake this review in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of a high school student at school, he had the wisdom not to simply ask for short-term ideas about how to deploy yet more law enforcement resources to try to suppress this kind of violence. Instead, he asked us to spend a year seeking to find out where it is coming from - its roots - and what might be done to address them to make Ontario safer in the long term. This turned out to be a most challenging assignment. Ontario is a large and diverse province. The issues are complex and controversial. Time was limited, and both the pressures and expectations have been high. We nonetheless thank the Premier for this opportunity and commend him for the initiative he took in placing the focus on the long-term well-being of Ontario and its residents. In undertaking this work, we joined a conversation rather than starting one. Our work, although focusing on a more fundamental analysis than has often been the case, did not begin in a vacuum. In provincial and other governments and, perhaps most importantly, in communities across this province, many individuals have combined compassion with passion to help address the violence in our society. However, we found no overall policy in place to guide this work and no structures to coordinate the efforts of those doing it. We found a focus on problems rather than on the roots of problems, and on interventions once the roots had taken hold rather than on actions to prevent that happening. Overall, our analysis brought to light a number of underlying issues that call for attention in a structured and sustained way. While this "roots" analysis has by definition caused us to focus on often very deep and sometimes divisive problems and has perhaps in some areas given our report a negative tone, we believe that our plan for the future is positive. With good communications and sustained and visible commitment, it will earn and receive significant public support. Details: Ottawa: Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2008. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 4, 2016 at: http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/english/documents/topics/youthandthelaw/rootsofyouthviolence-vol2.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Canada URL: http://www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/english/documents/topics/youthandthelaw/rootsofyouthviolence-vol2.pdf Shelf Number: 138926 Keywords: Juvenile Delinquents Juvenile Offenders Neighborhoods and Crime Violent Crime Youth Violence |
Author: Nakhid, Camille Title: Pacific families now and in the future: Pasifika youth in South Auckland: family, gangs, community, culture, Summary: Pasifika1 youth make a significant impact on the demographic profile of South Auckland and are a major focus of the many projections regarding population, employment and education in Aotearoa/New Zealand. The place of family and community is regarded as an important influence on the future of Pasifika youth yet how these youth view the place of Pasifika families in the future is not adequately covered in the research literature. As more Pasifika youth are thought to be joining gangs, there are also concerns as to whether the gangs have replaced the family for Pasifika youth and whether the street has become home to these youth. The aim of this study was to interview Pasifika youth from the suburbs of Mangere and Otara - including those who were involved in gangs and those who had never been involved in gangs or had transitioned out of gang life - in an effort to obtain information on: > how Pasifika youth understood family and how they perceived family in relation to the future > the perspectives of young Pasifika people on gangs, community, culture and leadership > why some Pasifika youth did not join gangs; why some Pasifika youth were joining gangs; and the support systems Pasifika youth had, and used, to remain out of gangs > the views and experiences of exiting gang life for Pasifika ex-gang members and the mechanisms that had assisted them to transition out of gang life > whether the family and the home were being replaced by the gang and the street for Pasifika youth involved in gangs. Details: Wellington, NZ: Families Commission, 2009. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 27, 2016 at: http://www.superu.govt.nz/sites/default/files/pasifika-youth.pdf Year: 2009 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.superu.govt.nz/sites/default/files/pasifika-youth.pdf Shelf Number: 139236 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionFamiliesGangsJuvenile DelinquentsYouth Gangs |
Author: National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) Title: A Profile of Youth in the Los Angeles County Delinquency Prevention Pilot Summary: Children involved in the child welfare system are more likely than other children to be arrested or referred for delinquent offenses. Their risk of involvement in the juvenile justice system also increases as exposure to violence increases. Although the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) had a program in place for children who were dually involved with the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, they sought to develop a mechanism for identifying youth served by DCFS who were at greatest risk of juvenile justice system involvement. This would allow provision of targeted services to those youth in an effort to prevent such involvement. Since 1999, DCFS has used the Structured Decision Making (SDM) decision-support system, developed by the NCCD Children's Research Center. The SDM system for child welfare includes an actuarial risk assessment to identify families investigated for child maltreatment who were at greatest risk of subsequent maltreatment. In 2010, DCFS staff involved in the Crossover Youth Practice Model (CYPM) asked NCCD to examine the possibility of creating a similar assessment for assessing the risk of delinquency among children receiving child welfare services in the county. NCCD conducted a study in 2011 and was able to develop an actuarial assessment, the SDM delinquency prevention screening assessment (DPSA),2 to help the county identify children at higher risk of subsequent delinquency than other children. The assessment was initially piloted by four Los Angeles County offices (Compton, Glendora, Palmdale, and South County) in the fall of 2012 as part of the Delinquency Prevention Pilot (DPP). Children identified as high risk of subsequent delinquency in the pilot offices were to receive resources targeted to their needs and risk factors related to delinquency (e.g., substance abuse, education, mental health, and delinquency) during the subsequent six months. In order to assess implementation, NCCD sought and received funding for a process evaluation from the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform (CJJR) at Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy. CJJR received funding for the evaluation of DPP and its work with CYPM from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. In 2013, the evaluation plan was modified to include short-term monitoring of process and outcome measures including service provision and entry into the juvenile justice system. The following literature review provides an empirical and theoretical basis for the project. The evaluation provides background for the development and implementation of DPP, describes successes and challenges related to implementation, serves as a first step in evaluating the effectiveness of the program to reduce delinquency over time, and offers recommendations for improving implementation of a delinquency prevention model in Los Angeles County and other sites. Details: Oakland, CA: NCCD, 2015. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 25, 2016 at: http://www.nccdglobal.org/sites/default/files/publication_pdf/la_dpp_evaluation_report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.nccdglobal.org/sites/default/files/publication_pdf/la_dpp_evaluation_report.pdf Shelf Number: 139835 Keywords: Child WelfareDelinquency PreventionJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Diaz, Juan Title: The Impact of Grade Retention on Juvenile Crime Summary: Using detailed administrative and individual data on schooling and crime records from Chile, we estimate the effect of grade retention between 4th and 8th grade on juvenile crime. We take advantage of a rule which specifies that students who fail more than one subject must repeat the year. We present two empirical strategies to address the strong evidence that the forcing variable is - locally - manipulated. First, we follow Barreca, Guldi, Lindo, and Waddell (2011) to implement a donuthole fuzzy regression discontinuity design (FRD). Second, we extend the approach developed by Keele, Titiunik, and Zubizarreta (2015) to implement a method that combines matching with FRD. These two methodologies deliver similar results and both show no statistically significant effect in a placebo test. According to our results, grade retention increases the probability of juvenile crime by 1.6 percentage point (pp), an increase of 33% (higher for males and low SES students). We also find that grade retention increases the probability of dropping out by 1.5pp. Regarding mechanisms, our findings suggest that the effect of grade retention on crime does not only operate through its effect on dropping out and that the effect of grade retention on crime is worsened when students switch school right after failing the grade. Details: Santiago: University of Chile, Department of Economics, 2016. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Serie Documentos de Trabajo, No. 429: Accessed October 12, 2016 at: http://repositorio.uchile.cl/bitstream/handle/2250/140504/The-Impact-of-Grade.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Year: 2016 Country: Chile URL: http://repositorio.uchile.cl/bitstream/handle/2250/140504/The-Impact-of-Grade.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Shelf Number: 145440 Keywords: Education and CrimeJuvenile DelinquencyJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile OffendersSchool Drop-Outs |
Author: Moodie, Kristina Title: "Between a rock and a hard place": Responses to Offending in Residential Childcare Summary: There is current and ongoing concern regarding the potential criminalisation of looked after young people. To address these issues, CYCJ undertook a study which aimed to: gather more data about police contact for offending by young people in children's houses; explore how practitioners make, and are supported to make, the decision to involve the police in incidents; and to survey what formal policies are in place within each local authority to aid decision making. Details: Glasgow: Centre for Youth and Criminal Justice, 2016. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 1, 2016 at: http://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Responses-to-Offending-in-Residential-Childcare.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Responses-to-Offending-in-Residential-Childcare.pdf Shelf Number: 145787 Keywords: At-Risk YouthJuvenile DelinquentsPolice Decision-MakingPolice-Juvenile Relations |
Author: Iowa. Department of Human Rights, Division of Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning Title: Confidentiality of juvenile delinquency records in Iowa Summary: This report seeks to review existing juvenile confidentiality laws in Iowa, those enacted across the nation, as well as provide a framework by which a structure for developing changes to Iowa's current laws, that are in the best interest of juvenile offenders and protect public safety and victims of crimes. Details: Des Moines: CJJP, 2016. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 10, 2016 at: http://www.jrsa.org/pubs/sac-digest/vol-24/ia-CJJP_Confidentiality%20of%20Juvenile%20Delinquency%20Records%20in%20Iowa.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.jrsa.org/pubs/sac-digest/vol-24/ia-CJJP_Confidentiality%20of%20Juvenile%20Delinquency%20Records%20in%20Iowa.pdf Shelf Number: 146291 Keywords: ConfidentialityJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile Records |
Author: Juberg, Anne Title: When not too far gone: a pragmatic - reflexive approach to substance and crime prevention in consumer society towards indicated 16-18-year old adolescents Summary: The thesis sheds light on the life shaping challenges of youths who occupy the indeterminable landscape between shared norms for use of substances and abidance of the law on the one hand, and more deviant life arrangements on the other hand. The concept of life shaping has been derived within theory on late modernity (see Giddens 1991). It refers to the capacity to exert judgment around the socially appropriate and the capacity to shift direction on short notice. By emphasizing life shaping, the thesis is meant to contribute to a timely conceptual framework for professional effort aimed at hindering that incipient problems with substance use as well as rule breaking / delinquency develop and become persistent. The data material consists of transcripts from focus group interviews with a total of 17 youths, 11 boys and 6 girls, 16-18 years of age from Trondheim, Norway and some other municipalities. The youths corresponded on a group level to those risk factors that are statistically associated with persistent delinquency and persistent problems with substances later in life. Additionally, the youths had been exhibiting involvement in risk activities to an extent that made adults be more than averagely worried about their future. All the same, the youths had not developed problems of the most serious kind. Moreover, they represented a wide range of situations and personalities. It seems to be general consensus among researchers that it is difficult to distinguish the normal from the deviant in adolescence. Approaches based on the assumption that youth in the indeterminable landscape without further consideration are problem youths with life shaping ideals that deviate from the mainstream population therefore appear as inappropriate in a perspective of prevention. The fact that we deal with youths in constant development as well as the fact that contemporary society has become highly changeable and unpredictable seems to have reinforced the need for new principles for prevention. The capacity to change direction on short notice and to exert judgment around the socially appropriate is, for instance, as appreciated in today`s world as the capacity for long term planning and risk calculation. This constitutes a principle for life shaping that often is described as "reflexivity". A result of the development in recent decades is also that the focus on individual responsibility for one’s own welfare is increasing at the same time as the knowledge about risk-prone phenomena has become commonly shared. Behavior that puts health at risk against the actors` better judgment is regarded as a threat against the common good. Life shaping or self-shaping therefore appears as a fruitful concept within substance and crime prevention in late modern consumer society; even though much literature on life shaping may be criticized for ignoring social inequality. Without the capacity of reflexive life shaping exclusion from respectable society may become the result. A basic assumption in this thesis is therefore that a focus on reflexive individual life shaping in the future should be viewed as a major basis for substance and crime prevention. Despite the increasing emphasis on the role of individual life shaping for avoidance of problems in the future, research with a focus on such principles is scarce within the realm of prevention. A reason why may be that the "risk zone" is a landscape which is difficult to conceptualize in the conventional scientific way. It may also be that the very topic of life shaping is regarded as a theme beyond the academic mandate. Yet, the lack of timelier research may not at least be due to the fact that prevention in the described area is still predominated by a mind-set that fits in a less complex and therefore more predictable society, but which is no longer really appropriate in consumer society. Knowledge based on self-experience, agency and curiosity towards the indeterminable has poor conditions within this tradition. A premise for most prevention effort has, for instance, been that there are relatively sharp boundaries between risk-prone behavior and safe behavior and between "at risk" youths and "ordinary" youths. Moreover, risk in this perspective is not likely to be treated as mere future potentiality, but as something that already has happened. In this way, the phenomena appear as determinable in normative space that is relatively indeterminate. The analysis of the current data indicates that everyday experience after all may be as an important basis for prevention and self-shaping processes as the more universal conceptualizations and solutions that have been developed by experts. This should be the main rule even when the projects may seem indeterminate and directionless in the first place. Expert solutions are mostly derived from a conceptualization of risk as calculable and predictable. The assumption that there is a tension in contemporary society between contingency (everybody may become anybody they wish) on the one hand and social constraint on the other, shaped the groundwork for the current data analysis. The analysis suggested that the youths both acknowledged and drew on both tendencies. They made many attempts at keeping more deviant life style at an arm’s length, although often in a non-reflected manner. All the same, many of them seemed to lack a determined direction in life. Besides, in the latter perspective it proved easier to become aware that the youths had problems with arriving at a more conscious position in their own life. There was a tendency to operate in quite evasive ways and participants generally tended to see more easily the risk prone aspects of their peers’ activities than the risk prone aspects implied in own modes of operating. Much is dependent on the perspective by means of which the described tendencies are regarded. If the analysis had been carried out in the light of conventional risk discourse, the evasive maneuvers and the ignorance of own risk could be mistakenly viewed as deviant acts. Moreover, the youths could be ascribed characteristics as morally deviant. This may entail unintended stigma and blocked communication. When viewed in the light of prevailing currents in contemporary society, however, it also becomes clearer that the uncertain and directionless way in which the youths are operating may even be viewed as a resource to draw on in the interaction with the youths. There certainly are some things they do not want for their future and life styles they do not want to be identified with. The maneuvering in the morally indeterminable space that the youths tended to occupy has in this thesis been described by means of the term “tentativeness”. In contrast to the concept “practical reason” which is oriented towards the normative and commonly acknowledged, the concept of tentativeness is implying both thoughtless and directionless maneuvering. The data suggest that the leap needs not be far from a predominantly unconscious to a more conscious tentativeness. The professional challenge is above all to take this seriously without oversteering the interest in the youths towards becoming more active in their life projects. The precondition for this leap is to accept that not all life shaping is calculable. Moreover, one must accommodate the ambiguous and indeterminable and support the single youth's capacity to get further in life. Not least, it is a crucial point to facilitate the youths’ participation in meaningful activity and that they attend work life. Principles that have been particularly addressed are accept of non-calculability as a part of being, the need to allow for ambiguity and indeterminability, promotion of “nudging” or “scaffolding” practices and the necessity of assisting youth in getting involved in meaningful activity. Both theoretically and with regard to content the term tentativeness resembles terms derived from cultural criminology. The novel way in which the concept of tentativeness is employed in this thesis is above all that it is related to crime and substance prevention on a so-called indicated level and that it clarifies why life-shaping projects should be emphasized more in substance and crime prevention with teenagers. Details: Trondheim, Norway: Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 2014. 242p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed February 1, 2017 at: https://brage.bibsys.no/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11250/263189/-1/692656_FULLTEXT01.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Norway URL: https://brage.bibsys.no/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11250/263189/-1/692656_FULLTEXT01.pdf Shelf Number: 140787 Keywords: At-Risk Youth Crime Prevention Delinquency Prevention Juvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Karcher, Michael J. Title: An Evaluation of Advocacy-Based Mentoring as a Treatment Intervention for Chronic Delinquency Summary: The primary goal of the proposed research project was to provide estimates of the effectiveness of youth advocacy in general, and more specifically as delivered through the Youth Advocate Programs, Inc. (YAP). YAP is a national nonprofit organization active in twenty states that provides a treatment intervention for reducing serious and chronic delinquency for court-referred youth. This study examined processes and outcomes in the YAP program in four cities to inform juvenile justice policy and practice regarding the possible benefits of advocacy-based interventions for this population. This grant focused on evaluating four Youth Advocate Programs, Inc. (YAP) in separate regions of the country in order to increase variability in model delivery and youth participants. The research design was based on information collected about YAP services from prior research and focused both on identifying key mentoring and advocacy processes that may interrupt chronic delinquency and measuring proximal and distal outcomes related to crime and prosocial behavior of participation in youth mentoring with paid mentors who prioritized advocacy as one element of mentoring. Project Goals to achieve these objectives were two-fold: (1) Estimate the degree to which intended program objectives were realized (i.e., program impact and effectiveness) through attempts to quantify the association between participation in the YAP program and changes in youth delinquency and on related outcomes using a rigorous quasi-experimental research; and (2) identify ways in which advocacy and specific types of mentoring interactions contribute to youth outcomes through program participation. The overall goal of this study was, therefore, to better understand the viability of advocacy as an intervention for youth at high risk for future criminal activity, to identify critical practices that may be relevant to YAP and other programs using individualized treatment approaches to reduce delinquency and recidivism through advocacy efforts, and to learn more about which interpersonal interactions and participant characteristics are most influential in successful advocacy efforts. Two adaptations to the originally proposed methods and design of the project were necessitated by factors and events beyond the control of the report authors. A formative evaluation of each program’s fidelity of implementation was omitted from the final report because the data on which initial findings were to be based were not available once unforeseeable changes in project staffing occurred. Second, initially the quasiexperimental method for detecting effects associated with program participation was propensity score analyses. Data collected by a consultant on the project, however, were unsuitable for propensity score analyses. Therefore, this report does not include results related to implementation fidelity or propensity score analyses of causal effects. In short, the data was insufficient to cross check findings or reach reliable conclusions. However, another quasi-experimental design was used to estimate program causal effects, thereby allowing Study 1 to address the question about program impact. Study 2 uses program activities and participant characteristics to try to explain the changes reported in Study 1. Details: Final report to the U.S. Department of Justice, 2016. 139p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 3, 2017 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/250454.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/250454.pdf Shelf Number: 145890 Keywords: Chronic DelinquencyHabitual OffendersJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile OffendersMentoring ProgramsSerious Juvenile OffendersYouth Mentoring |
Author: Cornet, L.J.M. Title: Neuroscientific applications in the juvenile criminal justice system Summary: This report investigates how neuroscientific research could be applied in the juvenile criminal justice system. Neuroscientific research on antisocial behavior has gained more attention in the last decades. This has resulted in a better understanding of neurobiological characteristics that presumably underlie antisocial behavior, such as alterations in hormone levels and deficits in brain functioning. The study aims to provide an update on the current application of neuroscientific research in the juvenile criminal justice system and comprises three areas of interest: measurement instruments, prevention and intervention.In order to obtain a perspective on how neuroscience can be used in these three areas, the following research questions were formulated. In what way could neuroscience be applicable: - to the use of measurement instruments in the juvenile criminal justice system? - to the prevention of antisocial behavior in juveniles? - to the intervention of antisocial behavior in juveniles? Details: The Hague: Boom criminologie, 2017. 10p. (English summary) Source: Internet Resource: Onderzoek en beleid 318: Accessed February 4, 2017 at: https://english.wodc.nl/binaries/O%26B318_Summary_tcm29-228323.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Netherlands URL: Shelf Number: 145882 Keywords: AggressionBehaviour interventionBio-social criminologyBiological criminologyCriminal psychologyDelinquent behaviourDeviant behaviourInterventionJuvenile delinquents |
Author: Canada. Public Safety Canada Title: Tyler's Troubled Life: The story of one young man's path towards a life of crime Summary: The fictional account of Tyler was developed to illustrate the compounding influence of risk factors on the pathway to criminal offending. The account does not depict any real persons or events, but serves as an illustrative example of a prototypical adolescent offender in Canada. Using cost estimates from Canada, the US, and Australia, average costs are affixed to events in Tyler's life and tallied for a grand total cost of his crimes. The direct costs associated with Tyler's life of crime range from a court appearance by police ($239 CAD) to a 5-year federal prison sentence ($550,000 CAD) and total over $1,400,000 CAD by the time Tyler reaches the age of 30. Three evidence-based interventions are also provided to illustrate the potential cost savings by investing in crime prevention at critical junctures of Tyler's youth, and to highlight the importance of intervening early and often in the life of disadvantaged or at-risk youth. Details: Ottawa: Public Safety Canada, 2016. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 10, 2017 at: https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/2016-r005/2016-r005-en.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Canada URL: https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/2016-r005/2016-r005-en.pdf Shelf Number: 144764 Keywords: At-Risk YouthCosts of Criminal JusticeJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Sutherland, Alex Title: Analysis of trends in first time entrants to the youth justice system Summary: Over a 10 year period, there has been substantial changes in the number of young people entering the youth justice system for the first time (FTEs). This study aimed to address questions on the possible societal, policy or practice drivers and factors associated with the changes in the number of FTEs. Analysis also explored the changes to the FTE 'case mix' over time, and proven reoffending outcomes. The research employed secondary analysis of administrative data held on the Police National Computer (PNC) relating to all FTEs between 2003/04 and 2012/13 and analysis of information on arrests and sentencing. To complement this analysis, a review of published literature and policy documents was undertaken to identify possible factors (at the societal, policy and practice levels) that might have affected the number of FTEs. Details: London: Ministry of Justice, 2017. 71p. Source: Internet Resource: Ministry of Justice Analytical Series: Accessed October 19, 2017 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/653182/trends-in-fte-to-the-youth-justice-system.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/653182/trends-in-fte-to-the-youth-justice-system.pdf Shelf Number: 147739 Keywords: Juvenile Delinquency Juvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Justice system Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Duriez, Stephanie A. Title: Mentoring Best Practices Research: Effectiveness of Juvenile Mentoring Programs on Recidivism Summary: On 09/01/2013, the Center for Criminal Justice Research (CCJR) at the University of Cincinnati (UC) was awarded a Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 Mentoring Best Practices Research Category 2: New Mentoring Research and Evaluations grant from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). The grant funded a research study entitled "Effectiveness of Juvenile Offender Mentoring Programs on Recidivism." The project was funded for 3 years, and a one-year, no-cost extension continued the project through 08/31/2017. This study adds to the existing literature on mentoring justice involved youth by providing an outcome and process evaluation of mentoring agencies across both urban and rural counties in Ohio. This study assesses the effect of mentoring, as delivered by the programs in this study, on recidivism of youth on both probation and parole. Four research questions were examined: (1) Are the mentoring services studied here effective in reducing delinquent and criminal reoffending?; (2) Does the impact of these mentoring services differ based on youth characteristics (e.g., risk level)?; (3) Does the quality of the match between mentor and mentee impact youth outcomes?; and (4) Does the quality of the mentoring program lead to differing outcomes? The research team at CCJR used a mixed methods approach to answer the four questions-examination of secondary data, enrollment of youth receiving mentoring services and collection of corresponding data, and site visits to collect key details about the mentoring agencies involved in the project. To address the first and second research questions, researchers completed an outcome evaluation using a quasi-experimental design with two separate samples. First, the parole sample was comprised of either youth on parole that participated in mentoring services funded by a Second Chance Act (SCA) grant (Mentored group) or youth on parole that did not participate in mentoring services (Comparison group). The probation sample was comprised of youth on probation that participated in mentoring services (Mentored group) and youth on probation that did not receive mentoring services (Comparison group). To ensure like samples for the Mentored and Comparison groups in both samples, youth were matched on risk, race, gender, and age. The third research question was investigated through the administration of a survey to youth participating in mentoring while on probation. The survey was comprised of three tools designed to measure the quality of the relationship and overall youth satisfaction with their mentor and respective mentoring program. The tools are the Dual Role Relationship InventoryRevised (DRI-R), the Youth Mentoring Survey (YMS), and the Perceived Program Effectiveness (PPE) scale. Surveys were administered to youth approximately three months after they had been matched with their mentor. The fourth research question was addressed using a process evaluation approach. Mentoring agencies in the parole and probation samples were assessed using the EvidencedBased Correction Program Checklist - Mentoring (CPC-M), a tool developed for this research study. The CPC-M was used to measure program quality by thoroughly evaluating how closely the mentoring agencies met the research on effective mentoring practices as well as the principles of effective interventions. In the parole sites, phone interviews with key personnel were conducted using the CPC-M. In the probation sites, full site visits comprised of interviews with key program staff, mentors, and mentees, review of relevant mentoring program materials, and focus groups with mentors and mentees were conducted. The aim of the process evaluation was to better understand the mentoring programs and to evaluate the level of adherence to research on effective practices in mentoring. Using the CPC-M allowed the research team to quantify program quality to examine the potential impact on recidivism. Details: Cincinnati: Center for Criminal Justice Research University of Cincinnati, 2017. 135p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 16, 2018 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/251378.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/grants/251378.pdf Shelf Number: 149169 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Offenders Mentoring Programs Recidivism Second Chance Act |
Author: Franken, A. Title: Specialization in National Specialist Facilities: a literature review. Summary: The Netherlands Youth Institute carried out this research commissioned by the Research and Documentation Centre, WODC, Ministry of Justice and Security. The topic of this research arises from the report "Custody of Young Offenders (Implementation) Survey" (Verkenning Invulling Vrijheidsbeneming Justitiele Jeugd, VIV JJ), which was presented to the House of Representatives in November 2015 (Van Alphen, Drost & Jongebreur, 2015, Parliamentary Papers, Meeting Year 2015-2016, no. 24587-626). Central to this report is the young person, with his or her support needs and needs for care and security. The report focuses on the continuation of care, involvement of the young person's own network and local cooperation between the Custodial Institutions Agency (DJI), local care partners and municipalities. One of the building blocks of the report is a National Specialist Facility (LSV), in which young people with a specific profile receive specialist care and security. The question remains, however, which specializations are needed within the National Specialist Facilities and how these specializations could be clustered. Details: Utrecht: Nederlands Jeugdinstituut (NJi) , Universiteit van Amsterdam - Afdeling Forensische Orthopedagogiek, WODC, 2018. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 5, 2018 at: https://www.wodc.nl/binaries/2895_summary_tcm28-310965.pdf (Full text only available in Dutch) Year: 2018 Country: Netherlands URL: https://www.wodc.nl/binaries/2895_summary_tcm28-310965.pdf Shelf Number: 149693 Keywords: Detention FacilitiesJuvenile CorrectionsJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Robinson, Gill Title: Children and Young People in Custody in Scotland: Looking Behind the Data Summary: Children and young people who are involved in offending come into contact with the youth or criminal justice system in a variety of ways depending on their age, their needs and circumstances, and the nature of their deeds. Information about the different stages in the system is available through Youth and Criminal Justice in Scotland: the Young Person's Journey. Both the lives of these children and young people and the 'system' that engages with them are complex. This means that it can be extremely difficult to understand what is actually happening for these children and young people, and also that there are rarely easy answers to guide how best to respond to their offending behaviour. This paper has an emphasis on children aged 16 and 17 who are detained in custody but also includes references to young people aged 18 to 21, whose circumstances are often very similar to those of the younger age group. We use the term 'children' to refer to those under 18 years old and 'young people' when referring to 18-21, in keeping with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The paper focuses on three themes: 1. Backgrounds of children and young people involved in offending 2. Children and young people's contact with the justice system, especially those who are sentenced to custody 3. What happens after custody? The paper has been produced in partnership between the Centre for Youth & Criminal Justice (CYCJ), the Scottish Government and the Scottish Prison Service (SPS). The information is drawn from a number of sources including research papers and data from the Scottish Government's Criminal Proceedings Database and the Scottish Prison Service. It incorporates the story of 'Danny', whose experiences represent very many of the young people now in custody. The paper can be added to and strengthened as we learn more. The data, particularly that relating to custodies, is complex and includes a number of illustrative snapshots which may not be fully representative. We would therefore encourage caution in drawing any further conclusions than those which are drawn in this paper. Instead we highlight areas for further reflection and exploration in each section of the paper. Details: Glasgow: Youth Justice Improvement Board, 2017. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 6, 2018 at: http://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Young-People-in-Custody-October-2017.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.cycj.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Young-People-in-Custody-October-2017.pdf Shelf Number: 149722 Keywords: Juvenile CorrectionsJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile InmatesJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Chavez Villegas, Cirenia Title: Youth and Organised Crime in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico: An exploration of contributing factors Summary: This research explores why young men participate in organised crime in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. From an ecological perspective, decisions are the result of a combination of factors at the macro, micro, and individual levels. The research explores factors at each of these levels, particularly the role of unfulfilled aspirations, the family and community environments, as well as different dimensions of poverty. In doing so, it uses an original survey covering a sample of 180 delinquent young men aged 12 to 29, who were in prison for organised criminal activity, and a sample of 180 non-delinquents with the same age, social background, and geographical origin in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Twenty in-depth interviews were also carried out with a subsample of delinquents. To my knowledge, this is the first study to use a quasi-experimental approach to understand why young men in Mexico participate in organised crime that considers their aspirations and measures multidimensional poverty amongst a population that is commonly excluded from census data. The thesis draws on several theoretical frameworks from the fields of criminology and sociology, including anomie and attachment theories. The findings lend support to the importance of aspirations at the individual level. Opportunity constraints predict criminal participation and delinquents tend to place greater value on material items than their nondelinquent counterparts, which calls for the co-creation and management of aspirations of former delinquents and at-risk youth with the aid of counsellors. In the family environment, being raised in a single parent household was a significant predictor of participation in organised crime. As these households are often headed by women, greater support for working mothers is pressing, as work in the assembly plants in Juarez (the prime source of employment) is not accompanied with childcare. More involved fathers who constitute positive role models are necessary to mitigate the risks of criminal participation. In the community environment, regularly spending time in a gang significantly predicted organised crime participation. Although gangs constitute a gateway, they do not unequivocally lead to organised crime. This calls for an adequate assessment of gangs, a phenomenon that is still poorly understood in Mexico. At the macro level, the findings reveal that those who are more income deprived have a lower probability of having participated in crime, suggesting that participation reduces income poverty marginally. However, a higher proportion of delinquent participants are vulnerable due to deprivation in several social indicators and most delinquent participants are still multidimensionally poor, despite their participation in organised crime. This indicates that participating in crime does not constitute an effective or sustained pathway out of poverty, a message that should be communicated to at-risk youth. A more robust poverty and inequality reduction program accompanied by fiscal reform and higher minimum wages are also among the key policy recommendations. Details: Cambridge, UK: Queens' College, University of Cambridge, 2018. 266p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed May 10, 2018 at: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1810/273773/Chavez-2018-PhD.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2018 Country: Mexico URL: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1810/273773/Chavez-2018-PhD.pdf?sequence=1 Shelf Number: 150144 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquentsOrganized CrimePovertySocioeconomic Conditions and CrimeViolent CrimeYouth GangsYouthful Offenders |
Author: Laan, A.M. van der Title: Juvenile Crime Monitor 2017. Developments in registered juvenile crime from 2000 to 2017 Summary: The Juvenile Crime Monitor 2017 describes developments in juvenile crime registered by the police, the Public Prosecution Service and the courts from 2000 to 2017. The aim of the Juvenile Crime Monitor program is to provide a broad overview of developments in juvenile crime from various sources, and to discuss and compare these developments. The different sources in the latest Monitor include: police records of juvenile suspects, sentencing records of juvenile criminal offenders, and judicial statistics from other countries as well. The 2015 edition of the Juvenile Crime Monitor also included self-report measures of offending behavior by Dutch juveniles, which are obtained from a representative sample every five years. Juveniles are individuals between the ages of 12 and 23 years old. Besides describing developments in registered juvenile crime on the national level, the current edition also examines youth crime in so-called hots spots and (selected) municipalities and also the developments of juvenile crime in neighbouring countries. Significant trends from 2012 to 2017 Trends in registered juvenile crime are predominantly decreasing To examine whether the more long term decrease in juvenile crime (see figure S1) is also prevalent at the regional level, among specific subgroups, and for all types of criminal behaviour, more in-depth examinations are performed for the years 2012 to 2017. For specific regions, subgroups and types of offenses, the developments in juvenile crime, too, exhibit a downwards trend. The level of juvenile crime in 2016 is predominantly below the level of crime in 2012, regardless of region or subgroup. That said, the magnitude of the observed crime drop does differ per region or subgroup. Moreover, for some of these regions or subgroups juvenile crime does not decrease year after year, as there are isolated cases of juvenile crime levels remaining stable or even increasing. Juvenile crime drop is prevalent among all age groups, most delinquent group becomes slightly older Registered crime decreased for all age groups from 2007 to 2017. While 18- to 21- year-olds were mostly overrepresented in the juvenile criminal offender population up to and through 2012, the upper age range of the most delinquent group expands to 25 years after 2012. Juvenile crime drops annually at the national level, intermittently at the municipal level, but with variation at the level of neighbourhoods The decrease in juvenile crime is observed regardless of where juvenile suspects live or in which cities juvenile offenders commit crimes. However, the decrease in juvenile crime is not annually for each of the observed municipalities, but can be characterized as a intermittent drop. Also, at the more local level of neighbourhoods there is significant variation in the magnitude of the juvenile crime drop. For instance, in hot spots (i.e., neighbourhoods with relatively high levels of juvenile crime) the level of juvenile crime decreases more strongly than the national average, but less so or not at all in other neighbourhoods. The number of juveniles sentenced for digitalized and cybercrime is small, and is (still) not clearly identifiable in registration sources on the national level. The number of juveniles sentenced for digitalized or cybercrime consist of less than 1% of all juvenile criminal offenders. This figure significantly underestimates the number of juveniles who are actually involved in digitalized and cybercrime, because these types of offenders are not yet clearly identifiable in police and court records on the national level. Greatest decrease in sanctions against juvenile offenders was from 2007 to 2013, afterwards the decrease weakens The number of juveniles sanctioned with alternative community sentences issued by the organisation Halt, as well as the number of sanctions issued by the Publication Prosecution Service and the courts, decreases from 2007 to 2017. Up to 2013 this decrease was relatively strong, though it weakens afterwards. Particularly, the number of juveniles with a Halt referral stabilizes in recent years. This recent stability could be in part due to the introduction of the so-called Halt+ variant, which was introduced in 2013 and stimulates the referral of juvenile suspects and offenders to Halt by the Public Prosecution Service. Also, the general decrease of the number of imposed sanctions is not observed for all types of sanctions. For example, the number of transactions (which are out-ofcourt settlements, usually involving a fine or community service) drops more sharply than penalty orders, which suggests that the latter is replacing the former (as intended by lawmakers). Number of juvenile reoffenders decreases The percentage of 12- to 18-year-olds and 18- to 25-year-olds that reoffend after at least one prior conviction decreases, though to a lesser extent than the general juvenile crime drop. In other words, while there is a general decrease in the number of juvenile offenders, the recidivism among those that remain remains more or less stable over time (whereas the latest cohort seems to show a slight increase in recidivism). Prosecution of young adults as minors increases Although there has been a decrease in the number of young adult criminal offenders, the percentage of criminal cases (with preliminary judgments) against young adults where they are sanctioned according to juvenile law increases. Juvenile crime drop internationally observed The Dutch drop in registered juvenile crime is not on its own. There is a similar decrease in the number of juvenile suspects and convicts in other countries as well, for 2007 to 2015. But, the number of registered juvenile suspects and convicts does fall more rapidly in the Netherlands, when compared with neighbouring nations. Possible explanations for the juvenile crime drop A monitor, such as the Juvenile Crime Monitor, is primarily a descriptive entity, and not necessarily means to clarify or explain observed developments. Still, some explanations for the juvenile crime drop are discussed, such as: - Changes in registration practises, priority shifts regarding investigating juvenile crime as well as changes in police protocols have led to a shortage in enforcement practises, which may have contributed to the registered juvenile crime drop. - The crime debut hypothesis suggests that an increase in security measures has made it more difficult for criminals to successfully commit crimes, particularly among less experienced offenders of property crimes, thus preventing criminal careers from 'taking off'. - The social media hypothesis suggests that the registered drop in juvenile crime could be due to the increased digitalization of society, which includes, but is not limited to, the increased use of social media and mobile devices. - The changing sociocultural attitude hypothesis suggests that the downward development in juvenile crime is due to a changing sociocultural attitude among juveniles and parents towards risky behaviour, such as alcohol consumption, dropping out of school or delinquency. Conclusion Since 2007, juvenile crime has decreased in the Netherlands. This crime drop is observable in the registrations of the police and the judicial authorities as well as in self-report measures of juveniles themselves (see the Juvenile Crime Monitor 2015 for the results regarding self-report). The observed juvenile crime drop that started in 2007 continues up to 2017. Although the magnitude of the juvenile crime drop differs per region, subgroup or type of crime, and is not always annually, the overall trend shows a decrease in registered juvenile crime. That said, the monitor concerns registered juvenile crime. Hence, the monitor only concerns a part of all juvenile crime. It is likely that the juvenile crime registered by police is dropping more sharply than actual juvenile crime, for instance, due to changes in registration practices. A juvenile crime drop is also observed internationally, in countries surrounding the Netherlands, though the decrease in crime appears to be largest in the Netherlands. Details: The Hague: WODC, 2018. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: Cahiers 2018-01: Accessed May 11, 2018 at: https://www.wodc.nl/binaries/Cahier%202018-1_2849a_Summary_tcm28-306192.pdf - English Summary Only Year: 2018 Country: Netherlands URL: https://www.wodc.nl/binaries/Cahier%202018-1_2849a_Summary_tcm28-306192.pdf Shelf Number: 150168 Keywords: Crime RatesCrime StatisticsJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Wilson, David B. Title: Police-initiated diversion for youth to prevent future delinquent behavior: A systematic review Summary: Police-led diversion of low-risk youth reduces their future contact with the justice system Police-led diversion of low-risk youth who come into contact with the justice system is more effective in reducing a youth's future contact with the justice system compared to traditional processing. What is this review about? Youth misconduct and misbehavior is a normal part of adolescence and that misbehavior sometimes crosses the line from disruptive or problematic to delinquent. Nationally representative surveys of youth in the USA have indicated that minor delinquent behavior is normative, particularly for boys. The normative nature of minor delinquent behavior raises the question of how police should respond to minor delinquent behavior in a way that is corrective, but also avoids involving the youth in the criminal justice system beyond what will be effective in reducing future misbehavior. Police diversion schemes are a collection of strategies police can apply as an alternative to court processing of youth. Diversion as an option is popular among law enforcement officers, as it provides an option between ignoring youth engaged in minor wrongdoing and formally charging such youth with a crime. Police-led diversion has the potential to reduce reoffending by limiting the exposure of low-risk youth to potentially harmful effects of engagement with the criminal justice system. This review examined whether police-led diversion and traditional processing of youth have different effects on rates of official delinquency. Details: Oslo: Campbell Collaboration, 2018. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: A Campbell Systematic Review 2018:5: Accessed June 5, 2018 at: https://campbellcollaboration.org/library/police-initiated-diversion-to-prevent-future-delinquent-behaviour.html Year: 2018 Country: International URL: https://campbellcollaboration.org/library/police-initiated-diversion-to-prevent-future-delinquent-behaviour.html Shelf Number: 150466 Keywords: At-Risk YouthDelinquency PreventionJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Diversion |
Author: Payne, Jason Title: Where have all the young offenders gone? Examining changes in offending between two NSW birth cohorts Summary: New South Wales (NSW), like Australia overall, has experienced a large decline in crime since 2000, yet little is known about its causes. This study explored this decline through a developmental criminology lens by examining two birth cohorts involving all those born in New South Wales in 1984 and 1994. Comparisons between cohorts showed that, by age 21, the proportion of the population that had come into contact with the criminal justice system had halved (-49%), with the largest declines in vehicle theft (-59%), other property theft (-59%) and drink-driving (-49%). However, there remained a group of 'chronic' offenders (those committing 5+ offences) who committed crime at a higher rate and accounted for a larger proportion of offences (77%) than the 1984 cohort of 'chronic' offenders (68%). The crime decline in New South Wales would therefore appear to have resulted from a large reduction in the number of young people committing crime for the first time, although there remains a diminishing 'hard core' of prolific offenders. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2018. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 553: Accessed June 14, 2018 at: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi553 Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: https://aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi553 Shelf Number: 150537 Keywords: Crime StatisticsCrime TrendsJuvenile CrimeJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile OffendersYouthful Offenders |
Author: Mendolia, Silvia Title: The Effect of Religiosity on Adolescent Risky Behaviors Summary: We investigate the relationship between religiosity and risky behaviors in adolescence using data from a large and detailed cohort study of 14 year olds who have been followed for seven years. We focus on the effect of the self-reported importance of religion and on the risk of youths having early sexual intercourse, drinking underage, trying cigarettes, trying cannabis, and being involved in fighting at ages 14-17. We use school and individual fixed effects, and we control for a rich set of adolescent, school, and family characteristics, including achievements in standardized test scores at age 11, parental employment, and marital status. We also control for information on personality traits, such as work ethic, self-esteem, and external locus of control. Our results show that individuals with low religiosity are more likely to engage in risky health behaviors, whatever their combination of personality traits. These effects are robust to separate estimations for boys and girls and to the control variables used. Moreover, the results are essentially unchanged when we use Inverse Probability Weighted Regression Adjustment estimation methods - which provide causal estimates conditional on selection on observables only. Details: Bonn: Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), 2018. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: IZA Discussion Paper Series No. 11566: Accessed July 2, 2018 at: https://www.iza.org/publications/dp/11566/the-effect-of-religiosity-on-adolescent-risky-behaviors Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: https://www.iza.org/publications/dp/11566/the-effect-of-religiosity-on-adolescent-risky-behaviors Shelf Number: 150749 Keywords: Anti-Social BehaviorAt-Risk YouthJuvenile DelinquentsReligion and Delinquency |
Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Youth Justice in Australia: 2016-17 Summary: This report looks at young people who were under youth justice supervision in Australia during 2016-17 because of their involvement or alleged involvement in crime. It explores the key aspects of supervision, both in the community and in detention, as well as recent trends. About 1 in 500 young people aged 10-17 were under supervision on an average day A total of 5,359 young people aged 10 and over were under youth justice supervision on an average day in 2016-17. Among those aged 10-17, this equates to a rate of 20 per 10,000, or 1 in every 492 young people. Most young people were supervised in the community More than 4 in 5 (83% or 4,473) young people under supervision on an average day were supervised in the community, and close to 1 in 5 (17% or 913) were in detention (some were supervised in both the community and detention on the same day). The majority of young people in detention were unsentenced - About 3 in 5 (61%) young people in detention on an average day were unsentenced-that is, awaiting the outcome of their legal matter or sentencing. Young people spent an average of 6 months under supervision - Individual periods of supervision that were completed during 2016-17 lasted for a median of 122 days or about 4 months. When all the time spent under supervision during 2016-17 is considered (including multiple periods and periods that were not yet completed), young people who were supervised during the year spent an average of 185 days or about 6 months under supervision. Supervision rates varied among the states and territories - Rates of youth justice supervision varied among the states and territories, reflecting, in part, the fact that each state and territory has its own legislation, policies, and practices. In 2016-17, the rate of young people aged 10-17 under supervision on an average day ranged from 13 per 10,000 in Victoria to 67 per 10,000 in the Northern Territory. Rates of supervision have fallen over the past 5 years - Over the 5 years from 2012-13 to 2016-17, the number of young people aged 10-17 under supervision on an average day fell by 16%, while the rate dropped from 25 to 20 per 10,000. These falls occurred in both community-based supervision (from 21 to 17 per 10,000) and detention (from 4 to 3 per 10,000). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander over-representation has increased - Although only about 5% of young people aged 10-17 in Australia are Indigenous, half (50%) of those under supervision on an average day in 2016-17 were Indigenous. The level of Indigenous over-representation (as measured by the rate ratio) rose over the 5 years from 2012-13 to 2016-17. On an average day in 2012-13, Indigenous young people aged 10-17 were 15 times as likely as non-Indigenous young people to be under supervision, rising to 18 times as likely in 2016-17. This was due to a proportionally greater fall in the non-Indigenous rate compared with the Indigenous rate over the period. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2018. 54p., app. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 27, 2018 at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/19707990-1719-4600-8fce-f0af9d61331c/aihw-juv-116.pdf.aspx?inline=true Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/19707990-1719-4600-8fce-f0af9d61331c/aihw-juv-116.pdf.aspx?inline=true Shelf Number: 150935 Keywords: Juvenile Delinquents Juvenile Detention Juvenile Justice Systems Juvenile Offenders Juvenile Supervision |
Author: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Title: Young people returning to sentenced youth justice supervision: 2016-17 Summary: Of young people aged 10-17 who were under sentenced youth justice supervision at some time from 2000-01 to 2016-17, 39% returned to supervised sentence before turning 18. Of young people aged 10-16 in 2015-16 and released from sentenced community-based supervision, 26% returned to sentenced supervision in 6 months, and 50% within 12 months. Of those released from sentenced detention, 59% returned within 6 months, and 82% within 12 months. Details: Canberra: AIHW, 2018. 41p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 29, 2018 at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/48ae3545-83c5-46f1-96d4-9fac034fc71b/aihw-juv-127.pdf.aspx?inline=true Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/48ae3545-83c5-46f1-96d4-9fac034fc71b/aihw-juv-127.pdf.aspx?inline=true Shelf Number: 151281 Keywords: Juvenile Delinquents Juvenile Detention Juvenile Justice Systems Juvenile Offenders Juvenile Supervision |
Author: Herz, Denise Title: Los Angeles County Juvenile Probation Outcomes Study Part II Summary: In 2008, juvenile halls and camps fell under federal oversight by the U.S. Department of Justice due to inadequate protection from harm and failed to provide adequate suicide prevention and mental health care. In the last Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Los Angeles County Probation Department and the U.S. Department of Justice, Probation was obligated to "support a longitudinal study and develop baseline data tracking systems to assist in the evaluation of systemic outcomes for youth" (see Paragraph 73, #6 External Partnership of this MOA document). This study fulfills this requirement by collecting data for youth cohorts exiting suitable placement and camp in 2015 and comparing results to those reported for the 2011 cohorts in The Los Angeles County Probation Outcomes Study Part I. The purpose of the comparison is to evaluate outcomes for youth within the context of the systems change Probation has been and continues to implement. Moving in this direction improves the ability to assess Probation efforts to improve services and outcomes. In addition to replicating the 2015 study, the current study includes interviews with a sample of youth, their families, and supervising Deputy Probation Officers. The report and executive summary provides an overview of the results and offers recommendations to improve the effectiveness of juvenile justice in Los Angeles County Details: Los Angeles: California State University, Los Angeles, 2017. 90p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 31, 2018 at: http://www.juvenilejusticeresearch.com/sites/default/files/2017-08/POS%20Part%20ll%20Report%205-10-2017%20FINAL.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: http://www.juvenilejusticeresearch.com/sites/default/files/2017-08/POS%20Part%20ll%20Report%205-10-2017%20FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 151324 Keywords: Juvenile DelinquentsJuvenile DetentionJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile OffendersJuvenile ProbationProbation Camps |
Author: Novak, Adam Title: Multi-country evaluation of the impact of juvenile justice system reforms on children in conflict with the law (2006-2012) Summary: 2.1 Background The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) requires States to promote the establishment of laws, policies, procedures institutions and services specifically applicable to children who are alleged as, accused of or recognised as having infringed the criminal law. More specifically, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child requires that States parties establish a juvenile justice system, whose principal aim is to reintegrate children into their communities and society. The juvenile justice systems in countries and territories of CEE/CIS, which shared a common legal background until independence at the beginning of the 90s, focused on punishment rather than reintegration, and on prosecution and detention rather than on diversion from judicial proceedings and the various community-based alternative to custody that can best support the reintegration of young people in conflict with the law. None of the countries or territories in the CEE/CIS region have a juvenile justice system that fully meets the standard set by the CRC and other UN international standards and norms. UNICEF country offices have gradually started working on juvenile justice in the CEE/CIS region in 2000, with most of them active in this area by 2006. In addition to specific country-based support to reforms, there have been two initiatives led by the UNICEF Regional Office. The first, the 'critical mass' exercise started in 2008, and aimed at encouraging a group of CEE/CIS states that had developed experience in juvenile justice to work with a common set of objectives and priorities, strengthen their approaches, and to document and share experience and lessons learnt for the benefit of other countries in the region. The second was a programme co-funded by the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights' (EIDHR) on Consolidation of Juvenile Justice System Reforms against Torture and Other Forms of Ill-treatment of Children in Former Soviet Countries," covering 8 countries. 2.2 Objective, scope and methodology In 2012, UNICEF decided to commission an independent evaluation of its work on juvenile justice in the region as part of a series of thematic multi-country evaluations aimed at assessing and reinforcing the impact of UNICEF's work on the most vulnerable children. The present evaluation was carried out in partnership with the European Commission (EC) and constitute the final evaluation of the above-mentioned regional programme co-funded by EIDHR and UNICEF. This joint EC and UNICEF multi-country evaluation (MCE) assesses the extent to which juvenile justice system reforms in eleven countries and territories of the CEE/CIS region during the period 2006-2012 have contributed to (a) reducing deprivation of liberty for children in conflict with the law, (b) increasing the use of diversion from the judicial process and (c) reducing the average duration of pre-sentence detention. These three results are necessary in ensuring the child's reintegration into the community - i.e. the ultimate objective of juvenile justice reforms as stated above. They also correspond to interventions where UNICEF has been particularly active in the region. The evaluation reviews UNICEF's and the EIDHR support to system level changes and assesses the extent to which this support contributed to the three above-mentioned results. The MCE was conducted in 11 selected countries and territories which had reported significant results in terms of reductions of children in detention (Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo (UNSCR 1244), Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Montenegro, Tajikistan and Ukraine), with two overarching goals: - Demonstrate how reduction of equity gaps and impact results were made possible through changes in the national/regional/local systems and document UNICEF's contribution to such changes; - Identify key lessons in order to improve current and future action. The evaluation was carried out by a team of twelve independent consultants and took place between September 2013 and January 2015. The methodology was based on a reconstructed Theory of Change (TOC); this generated a series of hypotheses regarding the sequencing and causal links of changes in juvenile justice and UNICEF's engagement. Using 16 evaluation questions, findings from the region were used to assess the validity of the logic underpinning the TOC; the extent to which the sequencing of inputs, outputs, outcomes and Impacts corresponded to the TOC, and whether the assumptions that link one level of the TOC to the next hold true. This was followed by a combined desk and field phase, based on documentary review, interviews and focus groups, and questionnaires for UNICEF staff and for practitioners and NGOs. Fieldwork was carried out in six of the 11 countries and territories included within the scope of the evaluation, with local experts assisting in the data collection in the remaining countries and territories. The evaluation teams analysis was shared with UNICEF stakeholders and an expert panel at various stages and the final draft report was discussed during a validation workshop and passed an external quality assurance review. Details: New York: UNICEF, 2015. 106p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 12, 2018 at: https://www.unicef.org/evaldatabase/files/MCE2_Final_CEECIS_2015-005.pdf Year: 2015 Country: International URL: https://www.unicef.org/evaldatabase/files/MCE2_Final_CEECIS_2015-005.pdf Shelf Number: 152915 Keywords: Delinquency PreventionInterventionsJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Justice ReformsJuvenile Justice SystemsJuvenile Offenders |
Author: Janetta, Jesse Title: Strategies for Reducing Criminal and Juvenile Justice Involvement Summary: The future prosperity of the Great Lakes states depends in large part on the productivity and well-being of young people. Crime, victimization, and justice system responses greatly affect the life prospects of the most vulnerable Great Lakes youth, restricting their access to ladders of opportunity. In too many Great Lakes cities, racial and economic segregation separate vulnerable and low-income people from opportunity and expose them to high levels of toxic stress and crime. Concentrated poverty and disparities in health, employment, and education create conditions that contribute to both victimization and offending. Law enforcement and other justice interventions are likewise concentrated in areas of high crime and general disadvantage. This cycle leads to high levels of involvement with the criminal justice system among young people, which can have lasting negative consequences for their development. Moreover, estimates using the Social Genome Model suggest that simply acquiring a criminal record as a teenager depresses lifetime family incomes (Blumenthal, Martin, and Poethig 2016). Structural inequities can lead to justice involvement and justice involvement can lead to or exacerbate these inequities. This brief begins by drawing from research evidence to describe how crime and justice involvement affect youth development and opportunity. Then, it discusses the specific crime and justice intervention context in the Great Lakes states. The brief concludes by presenting an array of promising and proven policies and practices that have the potential to deliver safety while reducing juvenile justice and criminal justice involvement and their negative impact on youth. Details: Washington, DC: Urban institute, 2017. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Building Ladders of Opportunity for Young People in the Great Lakes States: Brief 4: Accessed November 15, 2018 at: https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/94516/strategies-for-reducing-criminal-and-juvenile-justice-involvement.pdf_0.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/94516/strategies-for-reducing-criminal-and-juvenile-justice-involvement.pdf_0.pdf Shelf Number: 153480 Keywords: Delinquency Prevention Juvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Justice Juvenile Offenders |
Author: Weissman, Marsha Title: Does Keeping Youth Close to Home Really Matter? A Case Study Summary: Background In 2012, with authorization from the Governor and New York State legislature, New York City took jurisdiction over children adjudicated delinquent (JDs) and ordered into placement by the court. Known as the Close to Home initiative (C2H), when youth from New York City are placed, it is now in small facilities near their home communities. C2H also expanded community-based, non-residential alternative to placement resources and required that the city's Probation Department utilize a risk-based system for making recommendations to the court. By keeping youth "close to home," it was theorized, they would remain connected to their families, their schools, and positive community activities, rather than being disconnected by placement in youth prisons distant from their homes. By 2016, New York City no longer had any JD-adjudicated youth in state Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) facilities. The 182 youth who were placed out-of-home were placed into small (6 to 18 bed) C2H facilities in or near the city. In addition, the overall placements of youth dramatically declined following the implementation of C2H. Between 2012 and 2016, overall placements of JDs decreased by 68 percent. Through interviews with stakeholders involved in the planning, implementation and advocacy for C2H, and analysis of C2H and other juvenile justice outcome data from city and state sources, this case study documents the impact of the Close to Home initiative. It examines what Close to Home and other city juvenile justice reforms that preceded it represent within the larger context of juvenile justice reforms - at the national, state and city level. Details: Syracuse, NY: Columbia University Justice Lab, 2018. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 17, 2019 at: http://justicelab.iserp.columbia.edu/img/forum_handout_final_3.12.18.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: http://justicelab.iserp.columbia.edu/closetohome.html Shelf Number: 154204 Keywords: At-Risk YouthClose to Home InitiativeCommunity-Based CorrectionsJuvenile DelinquentsJuvenile Justice ReformJuvenile OffendersRisk-Based System |
Author: City of Seaside Title: California Gang Reduction, Intervention and Prevention (CalGRIP) Grant Program: Final Local Evaluation Report Summary: The Seaside Youth Resource Center, a one-stop resource center for at-risk youth and their families, was established in 2015 with support from a CalGRIP grant to the City of Seaside. During the past three years, this support has enabled community-based organizations and county agencies to expand and strengthen a robust variety of prevention and intervention services for the same population. These services and their impact on youth, families, and the community are summarized in this report. Details: Seaside, California: City of Seaside, 2018. 27p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 8, 2019 at: http://www.bscc.ca.gov/downloads/Seaside%20CalGRIP%20Final%20Evaluation%20Report.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: http://www.bscc.ca.gov/downloads/Seaside%20CalGRIP%20Final%20Evaluation%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 154301 Keywords: At-Risk Teens At-Risk Youth CalGRIP City of Seaside Community-Based Organizations Crime Prevention Intervention Programs Juvenile Delinquency Juvenile Delinquents |