Serious, Chronic and Serious, Chronic and Violent Juvenile Violent Juvenile

OffendersOffenders

DefinitionsDefinitions

Chronic juvenile offender: 5 or more Chronic juvenile offender: 5 or more separate charges of delinquencyseparate charges of delinquency

Violent juvenile offender: convicted Violent juvenile offender: convicted of a crime against a person and has of a crime against a person and has a prior of a similar offense or murdera prior of a similar offense or murder

DefinitionsDefinitions

Serious or chronic offenders:Serious or chronic offenders:– Low income familiesLow income families– Rates troublesome by teachers and Rates troublesome by teachers and

peerspeers– Poor school performance by age 10Poor school performance by age 10– Adjudicated delinquent by age 13Adjudicated delinquent by age 13– Has a sibling convicted of a crimeHas a sibling convicted of a crime

Chronic Juvenile OffendersChronic Juvenile Offenders

Two dimensions:Two dimensions:– Frequency of offendingFrequency of offending– Length of time over which offending Length of time over which offending

persistspersists

Risk FactorsRisk Factors

Juvenile recidivism:Juvenile recidivism: Demographics (low socio-economic)Demographics (low socio-economic) Offense historyOffense history Family and social variablesFamily and social variables Physically and sexually abusedPhysically and sexually abused Single parents familySingle parents family Out of home placementsOut of home placements

Risk FactorsRisk Factors

Significant family problemsSignificant family problems Delinquent peersDelinquent peers Strongest predictors:Strongest predictors:

– Age at first commitmentAge at first commitment– Age at first contact with policeAge at first contact with police– History of nonsevere pathologyHistory of nonsevere pathology

Risk FactorsRisk Factors

Not significant predictorsNot significant predictors– School attendanceSchool attendance– Academic achievementAcademic achievement

Violent Juvenile OffendersViolent Juvenile Offenders

Youth who become violent before Youth who become violent before age 13 (before puberty) generally age 13 (before puberty) generally commit more crimescommit more crimes

Often times, youth will stop Often times, youth will stop committing violent crimes as they committing violent crimes as they transition into adulthood (“aging transition into adulthood (“aging out”)out”)

Serious Child DelinquentsSerious Child Delinquents

Risk FactorsRisk Factors– IndividualIndividual

Birth complicationsBirth complications HyperactivityHyperactivity

– Family relatedFamily related Parental substance abuseParental substance abuse Poor childrearing practicesPoor childrearing practices

Serious Child DelinquentsSerious Child Delinquents

We are seeing more young We are seeing more young delinquents between the ages of 7 delinquents between the ages of 7 and 12and 12

Although juvenile crime is declining Although juvenile crime is declining overall, young delinquents are overall, young delinquents are becoming more serious and violentbecoming more serious and violent

Violent Adolescent FemalesViolent Adolescent Females

Most girls enter the JJ system as Most girls enter the JJ system as status offendersstatus offenders

Often girls become perpetrators in Often girls become perpetrators in response to their own victimization, response to their own victimization, substance abuse, economic substance abuse, economic conditions and dysfunctional family conditions and dysfunctional family systemssystems

Predictors of Youth ViolencePredictors of Youth Violence

Child abuseChild abuse Difficult home lifeDifficult home life Exposure to crime (victims or Exposure to crime (victims or

witnesses)witnesses) Aggression Aggression DishonestyDishonesty Conflict with authority figuresConflict with authority figures

Predictors of youth violencePredictors of youth violence

Juvenile victims are often involved in Juvenile victims are often involved in delinquencydelinquency

Early aggressive and disruptive Early aggressive and disruptive behavior in preschool or elementarybehavior in preschool or elementary

Predictors of youth violencePredictors of youth violence

Animal abuseAnimal abuse Possible symptom of conduct Possible symptom of conduct

disorderdisorder

Antisocial Personality Antisocial Personality DisordersDisorders

Show evidence of conduct disorder Show evidence of conduct disorder before age 15before age 15

Pattern of irresponsible and anti-Pattern of irresponsible and anti-social behavior since 15social behavior since 15

Drugs, alcohol, voluntary sexual Drugs, alcohol, voluntary sexual intercourse unusually early for their intercourse unusually early for their peer grouppeer group

Psychopathic/SociopathicPsychopathic/Sociopathic

Chronic asocial behavior rooted in Chronic asocial behavior rooted in sever deficiencies in developing a sever deficiencies in developing a conscienceconscience

Failure to develop feelings of guiltFailure to develop feelings of guilt Can originate with an overly dominant Can originate with an overly dominant

mothermother Psychopaths are charming in casual Psychopaths are charming in casual

personal contactspersonal contacts

PsychopathsPsychopaths– Very egocentricVery egocentric– Never see their own responsibility for Never see their own responsibility for

anything that goes wronganything that goes wrong– Normal intelligenceNormal intelligence– Lack emotional intelligenceLack emotional intelligence– Juveniles are viewed as incorrigibleJuveniles are viewed as incorrigible

Conduct DisordersConduct Disorders

Anger exploding among teenagersAnger exploding among teenagers Difficulty following rulesDifficulty following rules Can’t behave in a socially accepted Can’t behave in a socially accepted

wayway View as “bad” rather than mentally illView as “bad” rather than mentally ill

Guns and JuvenilesGuns and Juveniles

2001 Youth Risk Behavior Survey2001 Youth Risk Behavior Survey– 17.4% of students had carried a weapon 17.4% of students had carried a weapon

to schoolto school– 6% had carried a gun6% had carried a gun

– Many state that they own and carry Many state that they own and carry guns for protection or for committing guns for protection or for committing crimescrimes

Guns and JuvenilesGuns and Juveniles

Boys who own guns are more likely Boys who own guns are more likely to be involved in delinquent behaviorto be involved in delinquent behavior

This is versus gun owners for sportThis is versus gun owners for sport More likely to sell drugsMore likely to sell drugs

Parental responsibility lawsParental responsibility laws Child Access Prevention laws (hold Child Access Prevention laws (hold

adults accountable)adults accountable)

Decline in Juvenile ArrestsDecline in Juvenile Arrests

Juvenile crime peaked around Juvenile crime peaked around 1994/1995 and began to decline. 1994/1995 and began to decline. Why?Why?– Strong economyStrong economy– Changing demographicsChanging demographics– Changes in the market for illegal drugs Changes in the market for illegal drugs

and use of firearmsand use of firearms– Expanded imprisonmentExpanded imprisonment– Policing innovationsPolicing innovations– Cultural intolerance for violenceCultural intolerance for violence

School crimeSchool crime

Between 1998 and 1999, only 47 Between 1998 and 1999, only 47 deaths at schools related to violencedeaths at schools related to violence

Students who carry weapons to Students who carry weapons to school has declined from 1993 to school has declined from 1993 to 2001.2001.

School crimeSchool crime

ThreatsThreats BullyingBullying ExtortionExtortion

BullyingBullying

People dismiss bullying as a rite of passagePeople dismiss bullying as a rite of passage Some feel it is a cycle that kids go throughSome feel it is a cycle that kids go through

““intentional, repeated hurtful acts, words or intentional, repeated hurtful acts, words or other behaviors”other behaviors”– PhysicalPhysical– VerbalVerbal– PsychologicalPsychological– sexualsexual

bullyingbullying

Two components:Two components:– Repeated harmful actsRepeated harmful acts– Imbalance of powerImbalance of power

BullyingBullying

1.6 million children in grades 6 through 1.6 million children in grades 6 through 10 are bullied at least once a week10 are bullied at least once a week

Long last impactLong last impact Leads to anti-social behaviorLeads to anti-social behavior Vandalism, shoplifting, skipping or Vandalism, shoplifting, skipping or

dropping out of school, fighting, use of dropping out of school, fighting, use of drugs and alcoholdrugs and alcohol

BullyingBullying

VictimsVictims– Low self esteemLow self esteem– DepressionDepression– Problems can reach into adulthoodProblems can reach into adulthood

School shootingsSchool shootings

Violence is evolutionaryViolence is evolutionary Signposts or cluesSignposts or clues

– Students will talk about or let out clues Students will talk about or let out clues in the weeks or months before attackin the weeks or months before attack

– Subtle threatsSubtle threats– BoastsBoasts– InnuendosInnuendos– PredictionsPredictions– Stories, diaries, songs, poems, drawingsStories, diaries, songs, poems, drawings

School Shooting MythsSchool Shooting Myths

School violence is an epidemicSchool violence is an epidemic All school shooters are alikeAll school shooters are alike The school shooter is always a lonerThe school shooter is always a loner School shootings are exclusively revenge School shootings are exclusively revenge

motivatedmotivated Easy access to weapons is the most Easy access to weapons is the most

significant risk factorsignificant risk factor Unusual behaviors, hobbies or interests Unusual behaviors, hobbies or interests

are common and are destined for violenceare common and are destined for violence

Gang ViolenceGang Violence

Gang violence is not a new Gang violence is not a new phenomenonphenomenon

Gangs often attract who men who Gangs often attract who men who enjoy violenceenjoy violence

By the late 1990s every state has By the late 1990s every state has reported gang activityreported gang activity

Why youth join gangs?Why youth join gangs?

StructureStructure Sense of belongingSense of belonging NurturingNurturing Economic opportunityEconomic opportunity ExcitementExcitement

Security, love, acceptance, food, Security, love, acceptance, food, shelter, power, moneyshelter, power, money

Why youth join gangsWhy youth join gangs

Family structureFamily structure– Don’t get structure and parental Don’t get structure and parental

attention at homeattention at home– Want a sense of belongingWant a sense of belonging– A family containing gang members is A family containing gang members is

often of a racial minority and on some often of a racial minority and on some form of government assistanceform of government assistance

– Lack a male figure or if he is present he Lack a male figure or if he is present he is a criminal or drug addictis a criminal or drug addict