Juvenile Offenders and Juvenile Capstone Project

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Juvenile recidivism is a prevalent problem in the criminal justice system. Tackling reoffending remains a complex task requiring several strategies and aims. It involves research, acknowledgement of causes, factors, exploration, and evaluation of subgroups to generate long-term, positive changes in the lives of juvenile offenders. From gang violence to Interactive, Constructive, Active, and Passive (ICAP), researchers discover some of the reasons why juveniles reoffend and the kinds of intervention methods that may help or worsen the problem of juvenile recidivism. Intervention philosophies like surveillance, discipline, close monitoring may increase recidivism rates. Restorative programs, counseling, skill building programs, as well as multiple coordinated services decrease recidivism rates. Comment by Max Dugan: I would put evaluation at the end of the list vs. first. Comment by Max Dugan: Need to spell out all acronyms before using in APA format.

Relevance

Juvenile offenders and reoffenders are an important problem facing the United States criminal justice system. For more than one hundred years, states held the belief that the juvenile justice system acted as a vehicle to safeguard the public via offering a structure that enables the rehabilitation of children growing into adulthood. States identified the difference of children committing crimes versus adult offenders (Loeber & Farrington, 2012). For example, the states saw them as less blameworthy with a higher capacity for longstanding, true change. Therefore, states have founded a distinct court system especially for the handling and rehabilitation of juvenile offenders along with a separate and different youth-based service delivery system that offers additional aid not found in the adult justice system.

The juvenile justice system offers insight into the study of criminal justice. It is an important area for development of proper rehabilitation techniques that will help juvenile offenders and reoffenders find a means of becoming self-sufficient law abiding adults in society. Rehabilitative efforts have improved but still fall short of achieving their goals even with the expansion of criminal justice professions. Criminal justice professions have grown in the juvenile offender area (Loeber & Farrington, 2012). New roles are meant to engage juvenile offenders on a level that promotes growth and rehabilitation. These roles are youth security specialists, juvenile rehabilitation security officer, and juvenile rehabilitation counselor (Krohn & Lane, 2015). These jobs shift the juvenile justice system towards enabling positive transitions of juvenile offenders into law-abiding adults. Comment by Max Dugan: If you have reoffenders then is there an issue with the rehabilitation used? Comment by Max Dugan: These roles are security specialists, rehabilitation security officer and rehabilitation counselor.

Society benefits the most from research and study in the area of juvenile offenders (Bates & Swan, 2013). Juvenile offenders can and do develop into adult offenders if not properly rehabilitated that then reoffend and create potential problems for the public. They can become a danger to society if the juvenile offenders feel they have no option but to engage in delinquent behavior. Many times, juvenile delinquents need guidance to avoid reoffending as seen through the ICAP framework. "The ICAP hypothesis predicts that as students become more engaged with the learning materials, from passive to active to constructive to interactive, their learning will increase" (Chi & Wylie, 2014, p. 219). Should juvenile offenders receive assistance that enables higher levels of engagement in key areas like academics and skills, the potential for recidivism may decrease. That guidance cannot be achieved without proper research conducted to discover what techniques are needed to help juvenile offenders avoid reoffending. Comment by Max Dugan: If not properly rehabilitated. Comment by Max Dugan: Are there cases that show this isn't the case? Otherwise this sentence looks like filler.

Introduction

Juvenile offenders are an important part of the criminal justice system. They are the population of offenders that benefit the most from rehabilitation and have the greatest potential for change (Bates & Swan, 2013). Programs created to aid juvenile offenders and prevent them from reoffending have not been as successful as intended in the last thirty years. However, recent changes to strategies and theoretical have increased (Machteld & Vanderland, 2016). Comment by Max Dugan: Reference -- what time frame are you talking about?

This paper focuses on juvenile offenders and juvenile re-offense rates. Emphasis on various theories and techniques pulled from research suggest decreased recidivism and growth through the application of programs that aim to understand juvenile recidivism in order to circumvent its continued occurrence. Such theories explored are integrated cognitive antisocial potential theory, self-control theory, life-course persistent theory, and social bond theory.

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Further insight into gang violence, and a look into existing programs demonstrating effective juvenile rehabilitation offer a comprehensive look into juvenile recidivism. Comment by Max Dugan: spacing

Juvenile offenders must be understood to be successfully rehabilitated. Without a framework from which to generate an adequate base of understanding, effective strategies remain absent in the advent of program interventions and juvenile delinquents. The juvenile justice system has seen changes in the last few decades and theoretical perspective is one of those changes (Machteld & Vanderland, 2016). This paper seeks to provide the means with which to determine whether juvenile recidivism has decreased in the last five years thanks to new interventions and what causes juvenile offenders to reoffend. Comment by Max Dugan: Time frame

Juvenile offenders often commit crimes for a variety of reasons. Juveniles delinquents are defined as minors between the ages of 10-18, who have committed an act that violates the law. Rather than labeled as crimes, crimes perpetrated by juvenile delinquents are called delinquent acts (Loeber & Farrington, 2012). The main timeframe for juvenile offenders to commit most of their crimes during childhood is in their late teenage years (age 15 to 19) with the peak declining as they enter young adult hood (early 20's). Juveniles are often tried as adults once they reach the age of 18. Amongst Western populations, this age-crime bell-shaped curve is considered universal. When examining the nature of crimes committed, violent crimes occur later in youth compared to property crimes. Gender also plays a role with the curve peaking sooner for girls versus boys. Minority young males, often have the wider and higher curve due to exposure to crime and violence within the disadvantaged neighborhoods they grow up in each year. Comment by Max Dugan: It would be good to tell what age groups you are speaking about -- what is considered a juvenile in the court system? Comment by Max Dugan: When is a juvenile become an adult in juvenile court?

The environment of disadvantaged neighborhoods can be negative with gang violence, assaults, and domestic problems being prevalent among members of the community. Many have noted the lack of stability in these areas as a main predictor for juvenile delinquency (Baglivio, Wolff, Piquero, & Epps, 2015). This is not to say poverty or environment is the only reason for juvenile offenders to commit crimes. Some juvenile offenders commit crimes due to early exposure to drugs and alcohol (Baglivio, Wolff, Piquero, & Epps, 2015). This reason may not depend on socioeconomic status and can happen in any neighborhood.

Whatever the reason may be, juvenile offenders more likely than not, stop offending after their transition into adulthood. "...many juvenile delinquents tend to stop offending in late adolescence and early adulthood" (Machteld & Vanderland, 2016). However, research suggests those that commit crimes early (before the age of 12), will most likely continue to offend as they become adults. Children that commit crimes at an early age may do so due to some form of abuse they endured when they were young (Chouhy, Cullen, & Unnever, 2014). While this is not the case for all young juvenile offenders, abuse and an unstable home life may contribute to a higher occurrence of juvenile delinquency.

Another potential reason for juvenile delinquency is mental illness. Some youth suffer from depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders that increase the likelihood for juvenile delinquency (Chouhy, Cullen, & Unnever, 2014). Those that suffer from mental illness need assistance in building positive coping mechanisms that can help them avoid actions that lead to further criminal offense. Comment by Max Dugan: proof reading

By becoming aware of the multiple reasons why juveniles offend, this can then generate a deeper understanding of what can be done to avoid juveniles from offending or reoffending. Strategies aimed to prevent juvenile delinquency must take into consideration the various hurdles youth must face as they grow and transition into adulthood. These hurdles require new strategies aimed at delivering better options for youth. From summer and afterschool programs to cognitive behavioral therapy, it takes a multi-faceted approach to provide a long-lasting positive effect for any juvenile offender.

Causes for juvenile re-offense Comment by Max Dugan: Not sure this font is APA for headingsLong, formal papers should have headings especially if they include an abstract at the beginning.Here are the five levels and how they should be formatted:

1. Centered, Boldface, Uppercase and Lowercase Heading

2. Left-aligned, Boldface, Uppercase.....

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