ESSAY

Please add 10 more pages to this essay on Juvenile Justice

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• Abstract

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.

• Contents page
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• Chapters (1-5)

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• Literature Review
• Methodology
• Results of the Study or Creative Project
• Summary and Discussion
• References or Works Cited

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Running head: JUVENILE JUSTICE 1

JUVENILE JUSTICE 21

Title of Project: Juvenile Justice System

XXXXXXX E. XXXX

Mentor: Prof. Christine Hansen

Liberal Arts Capstone (LIB-495-OL008)

State University

11 January 2018

Abstract

The Juvenile Justice Systems has been established with a significant aim of diverting adolescent offender’s destructive punitive actions of criminal courts as well as encouraging youth rehabilitation that is based on the needs of an individual juvenile. This system differs from adult criminal courts in numbers of ways. It looks at an adolescent as a person who needs assistance, instead of looking at the act that made him or her appearance before the court. The judge ought to act in the best suitable interests of the child. Juvenile court proceedings were always closed to the public. Juvenile records were also to remain very confidential so that they do not to interfere with the ability of the child or adolescent to be rehabilitated and merged back into the society. Juveniles are never charged with any crimes, instead of with delinquencies. They are never found guilty but instead, are considered delinquent. They are never sent to prison, but rather to training schools or reformatories. Treatment that incorporates the provision of educational facilities for juvenile offenders, counseling, and guidance, etc. are far better off than punishments that involve prison sentences or fines. This is so because a child would feel loved and cared for. This element plants a seed of love into the juvenile offender’s heart making him or her better person. On the other hand, however, punishment makes them more aware of their criminal character because it gives them what they deserve. They live in self-condemnation.

Table of Contents

Abstract 2

Chapter 1

5

Introduction

5

Background of the Topic

5

Problem Statement

6

Significance of the Study

6

Methodology

6

Definition of Terms

8
Chapter 2 9
Literature review 9
Introduction 9

History of the Juvenile Justice

9

Risk Factors that Escalate Juvenile Crime

10

Chapter 3

15

Research Design and Methodology

15
Introduction 15

Triangulation

15
Sampling 15

Plan of Action

16
Main Research Question: What should be done to curb the increasing violent crimes committed by youthful offenders? 17
Sub research question: What are the underlying social issues that lead to delinquent and criminal behavior in adolescents? 17

Conclusion

18

Chapter 4

19

Results of the Study

19
Introduction 19

Findings

20
Main Research question: What should be done to curb the increasing violent crimes committed by youthful offenders? 20
Sub-question: What are the underlying social issues that lead to delinquent and criminal behavior in adolescents? 22
Discussion from Questionnaires Responses 23
Summary 23
Chapter 5 25
Summary and Discussion 25
Introduction 25
Statement of Problem 26
Explanation of Project 27
Review of Methodology 27
Summary of Results 28
Underlying issues which lead to criminal behavior in adolescents 28
Relationship of Research to the Field 29
Discussion of Results 31
Conclusions 32
References 33
Survey Questionnaire 37
Annotated Bibliography 40

Chapter 1
Introduction

The thesis is an assessment of the prevalent crime rate amount the juveniles and how it can be mitigated. This will include literature review from several scholarly sources, police reports and suggested programs to help reduce this vise. The first chapter will have the background study, the specific problem with a planned methodology and its significance. The various aspects of this research are outlined with respect to all the specific terms that are defined in the paper.

Background of the Topic

It is estimated that majority of the crimes committed currently are by the young generation. Some of these crimes include defilement, rape, robberies, murder, fighting, among others. However, curbing of the rampant spread of violence and lawlessness among the youth can be done. Even though there is an increasing crime rate among the youth, the vice is attributed to parental negligence, peer pressure and the influence of the pop culture in our current world.

Most young people have been left to live their life as they think best. The problem with giving young people all the freedom is that they rarely take responsibility for anything they do. Lack of someone to hold them accountable when they misbehave always makes them be less responsible and more reluctant on the consequences of their actions. Youths that have the liberty to make decisions which they less responsibility for the results of the decisions made, they often end up committing crimes.

According to Crawford and Evans (2017), early intervention plays a significant role in restraining youth from embarking on criminal living. Nonetheless, they also believe that swift and consistent offense punishments will help cut down the crime rate. In addition, the jail term should be proportional to the crimes the juveniles commit. After serving their sentence, young people have to be provided with a support which is aimed at preventing them from re-committing the same offense or other offenses. This can be done by offering jobs to them and availing counseling and guidance services to them.

Problem Statement

There has been an increase in the number of juvenile offenders all over the world. In a study done by Van Ness and Strong, (2014), they express the different challenges that most young people face and how they can overcome them. They found that parental negligence was the leading cause of common crime among the young generation. The authors suggest that if parenting is well managed, a most of the challenges push the juvenile to commit a crime.

The paper will make observations of the following issues

1. How has poor parenting led to the rise in juvenile crime?

2. What is the current crime rate among the youth?

3. What is the mitigating factor for these young offenders?

Significance of the Study

People have always overlooked the factor that is a result of their childhood and parental care. For most juveniles, their life needs an elderly person to mentor to keep a keen eye on them. Their lives are a replica of what they interact with on a daily basis had is not well guided, they may choose to become chaotic, leading to the high crime rate among them. This has led the increase in the number of juveniles convicted, therefore pushing the government to try and establish lasting solutions to this problem.

Methodology

By offering training and education programs to the juveniles, some crime can be addressed. As the saying goes “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” The not engaged youth later get influenced by various criminal gangs around them. By offering education to those that cannot afford, it will reduce the redundancy that causes crimes among them. This integral approach that is designed to tackle the youth gangs at local levels is regulated and coordinated by municipalities in conjunction with police forces, the Public Prosecution Services and the Ministries of Security and Justice.

Tackling the problem youths gangs. This should be as one of the government’s policies priorities. Its policy should be tailored to address specific groups as well as individual members by policies that are set by the government so that they do not associate with crime. A combination of care, punitive and educational, as well as employment measures, should be put in place in order to keep the youths busy at many times. The government ought to do more than merely setting limits by imposing criminal penalties on the kids; this will prevent them from crimes (Bachman and Schutt, 2017).

The abuse of drugs such as marijuana, alcohol, and shisha have made objective reasoning rare among the youths. The consumption of these drugs has led to a rise in a number of cases of insanity, drunkness, and foolishness which have made sure youths do whatever they want regardless of whether it is ethical standards. Most have become bandits, murderers as well as robbers because of drug abuse.

Peer influence has dramatically contributed to juvenile delinquency and increased growing crime rates. The youth at times have bad friends who are sexually perverse, immoral and indulge in all forms of evil. Such friends have influenced many youths into various crimes. Boys have been influenced to join criminal gangs and girls have been lured by their friends into adultery and fornication acts (Bean, 2013).

Permissiveness. In families, parents tend to give unlimited freedom to their children. Children do whatever they please without parental guidance and intervention. They learn a lot of dubious acts that the world teaches them and some turn out to be the worst criminals in their society. Parents need to guide their children to avoid such a cause of permissiveness that leads to high crime rates among adolescents.

The punitive action approach has proved useful in rehabilitating juveniles found guilty of committing felonies. The life prison sentences and many years in jail have threatened the youths into stopping indulging in dubious acts in fear of imprisonment.

The education action has also enabled the youths with no education finances to stop their dubious acts and proceed with studies. This has kept them busy in colleges, in institutions and universities in their quest for a better future prospect. By so doing, some of them have gotten good grades from school and eventually good jobs which have facilitated their lives. This has made them completely forget about burglary, robberies, and thefts.

Definition of Terms

Juvenile – A Youth

Justice system – the court and the laws governing these courts

Poor parenting – the lack of responsible persons to monitor a person or a child

Chapter 2

Literature Review

Introduction

Many scholars are building their research on the cause of juvenile crime. Most of the scholars develop the interest in the juvenile justice because of the need to find suitable intervention for the violent behavior. The development of violent behavior among the youths is subject to interest among many parents. The researchers are concerned with the impact of the interaction between the environment and genetics in the development of violent behavior. Research shows that the current strategies focus on the punishments of the juvenile instead of focusing on interventions strategies in early childhood. Most of the researchers on the juvenile justice system hold that social institutions, life events, and the environment affect the life of the juvenile. The life transition from childhood, through adolescent and adulthood, affect the personality an individual throughout the life. Research shows that life events are responsible for the development of violent behavior among the teenagers. The social bonds in the society determine the criminal part ways of children.

History of the Juvenile Justice

The juvenile delinquency has had continuous growth since the 80s. Research shows that the uptrend in the juvenile delinquency is attributed to a deficiency of social support that helps in children transit adulthood. The youths in the 21st century face a variety of challenges, which include unemployment, inadequate education system, the disintegration of local authorities, and pressure. The dynamics in society push the youths into violent activities. The 19th century was dark for juvenile justice because the law regarded children as adults. As a result, the children faced trials, jailed, and received treatments as their adults. The judicial system did not have isolated facilities to rehabilitate juvenile with criminal offenses. In the penal institutions, there were no separate rooms for men and women. As a result, the criminal of all kinds served their term in one penal and thus there were no reforms in the personality. Research shows the Judicial system treated all criminal activities the same way and therefore culprits who committed common mistakes suffered a lot. It is apparent that during the ancient time, there were no signs of change in behavior after the culprits had served for many years in prisons. Majority of the culprits who finished their terms in the cells became hard criminals because of the harsh conditions in the penal institution. According to Hinduja, & Patchin, 2013 the teenager needs a separate correctional institution to allow for rehabilitation. The children engaging in violence need reforms early to avoid the recurrence of the habit. The correctional institution needs to act as a place of refuge for the juvenile that commits crime activities without their conscience.

Risk Factors that Escalate Juvenile Crime

Juvenile crimes are socially undesirable because they pose a threat to security in the society. Most researchers argue that juvenile should not be held accountable for their behaviors because they are too young. The juvenile violence sometimes exceeds the capacity of the parents and the guardians to contain and therefore the need for reinforcement from the law. There are diverse factors that contribute Juvenile delinquency. Some of the factors contributing to juvenile delinquency include physical factors, school environment, occupations environment, home environment. The physical factors such as malnutrition, disabilities, and substance abuse alter how children respond to specific situations. Research shows that the physical limitation in most of the children is a direct cause of misbehavior. Some children find it hard to cope with their limitations, and as means of compensation, the children with disabilities engage in violent behavior. Besides, research also shows that some of the limitations come with much energy and thus the children utilize the energy through engaging in delinquency.

School environment plays a role in shaping the behavior of the children. At school, children interact with peers that influence their actions. Research shows that a strict rule in schools forces the children to resolve to aggressive behaviors. The economics and family life control the emotions of both the parents and children. Research shows that children from needy families have psychiatric symptoms, which include conduct disorder and depression. According to Hutton & Woodworth, 2014 reduced poverty and adequate interventions programs help reduce behavior among the children. Braga, 2015 asserts that policies in the social institution help regulate the juvenile from their involvement in their violent behavior. In this study, Braga studied the implication of policies in deterring the juvenile form their criminal intentions.

Chesney-Lind & Pasko, 2013 studied the changing trends in female offenders. In their research, the mental problems are the main issues that push female offenders to criminal activities. According to the researchers, there is a need to investigate psychological problems among the female offenders and institute sound interventions strategies. Baglivio et al., 2017 also proposed the need to examine the mental states of the female offenders before proceeding to proper treatments. In their research, the research team found that community-based programs are suitable for treating mental problems among the female offenders. Barrett et al., 2015 also studied the similarities and difference between the male and female juvenile offenders. In their research, they concluded that similar factors trigger violent behavior in both male and a female juvenile. Their concerns were that school environment, home, and peers are potential environments that affect the personalities of both female and males.

Hutton, & Woodworth, 2014 studied the characteristics of female inmates. In their research, Hutton, & Woodworth discovered that majority of the female offenders have bad histories such as sexual abuse and drug abuse. The history and background information of most female offenders showed that majority of female offenders are singles mothers, have mental problems and they belong to the ethnical minority. Various research on the topic show concerns about the future of the female offenders. According to Barrett et al., 2017, the female offenders require intensive treatment to prevent them from repeating the old habits. For examples, according to their research majority of the female offenders released from jails are jobless and drug addicts. Most societies do not provide a supportive environment for female offenders to reforms and stop their old habit. The stereotypes about female offenders in most societies push the former female offender to live in isolation. For this reason, female offenders are isolated because of the assumptions that they are HIV positive and can infect others.

Lacey, 2013 showed concerns the issues of racial disparities in the penal system and its effect on fairness. In the research, Lacy noted that majority of the youths criminals comes from the ethnic minority groups. The majority of the administrators in the juvenile justice system consist of the white people while the majority of the offenders are the black. In this case, Lacy said, it is hard to attain fair treatments of the inmates when there disparities in the representations of people of race in the judicial system.

Leve, Chamberlain, & Kim, 2015 provide comprehensive research concerning the possibility interventions program for violent criminals. Their study there is evidence that both female and male offenders need support to help stop their criminal activities. In their research, they found that isolating the offenders from the community increases their intentions for criminal activities. The highly vulnerable youths need support to help deter them from their engagement in criminal activities. Morgan et al.2014 hold that there is a need for sound policies that help reduce the number of juveniles in the criminal activities. In their research, the family, schools, and the society should draft policies that help regulate the behavior of the juvenile. They assets that juvenile are quick learners and therefore there is a need for interventions programs in the early stages of growth. Pickett et al., 2017 holds that the environment plays a significant role in contributing and in deterring youths from their involvement in criminal activities. In their research, it is apparent that in societies with many stereotypes on juvenile crime, there are many cases of juvenile criminal offense. The juvenile criminal systems affect the entire life of teenagers, who have served their terms in the penal institutions. For example, juvenile criminals who join the company of adult criminals in the jail become hardened criminals and tend to repeat criminal activities when they rejoin society. There are high chances that the personalities of juvenile criminals become worse after they are released from the penal institutions.

Shulman, Monahan, & Steinberg 2017 assert that the adolescents and early adulthood are critical stages in the life of an individual. For examples, individuals that experienced violence during adolescent and early adulthood show intent for criminal activities. Steinberg, et al., 2015 hold that children need a supportive environment to ensure psychological maturity. The principal idea in their article is that the environment that the children grow determines their personalities in the adulthood. In their article, they assert that children from broken families are likely to engage in drug abuse and violent behaviors in an attempt to cope with the harsh economic situations. It is also evident in their research that children with excess money and too much freedom in their homes are at risk of drug abuse. There is a study in penal systems that shows that the majority of the juvenile in jails have a history of drug abuse and family separations.

Wang, & Fredricks, 2014 assert that teenagers dropping out of schools are likely to engage in criminal activities. In the article, the lesson at school helps the youths learn principles of rightful living. However, in their research, they also discovered that strict rules schools force the adolescent to drop out of schools. The majority of the youth dropping off out of schools feel the education system is irrelevant and therefore chooses the alternative means of seeking for their livelihood. Monahan et al.2014 hold the adolescence are vulnerable to influence from the physical environment. The adolescence stage of development is the most vulnerable because research shows that majority of the adolescence are drug addicts and criminals. The habit of substance abuse begins at the adolescence hence there is a need to protect the teenagers from the influences of their environment. The substance abuse among the adolescent affects psychological developments. Besides, youths are vulnerable to peer pressure and therefore the need to choose a suitable company for the teenagers.

Burton, 2017 asserts that juvenile offenders are a threat to the security of the society. In the article, Burton insists on the need for rehabilitation facilities for the offenders to deter the behavior from recurring. Besides, the juvenile offenders need support in the penal institution to allow them a good time for reforms. Hinduja & Patchin, 2013 insist that online world make the youths vulnerable to cyberbullying. The research in the article reflects the life in the contemporary society where most high schools graduates use their leisure time interact with friends online. There are no regulations regarding the nature of people that children interact with on the internet. As a result, teenagers are vulnerable to misleading information. However, Dufur asserts that children need direction on the use internet to avoid falling into the hands of bullies. In his text, Dufour et al., 2015 hold that family and schools prepare the teenager for a live in the outside world. In their research, children with supportive parents and instructors uphold the law in the places they visit.

Chapter 3
Research Design and Methodology
Introduction

The topic of Juvenile Justice Systems has attracted much research in various countries. The researchers attempt to understand factors that contribute to criminal activities among the adolescents. Youth violent behavior threatens the security of the community as more youth form violent gangs. This research aims at finding methods to halt the rising rates of criminal activities among the youths. Besides, this research will answer the questions regarding social issues that cause delinquent and criminal behavior in the teenagers.

Triangulation

This research will utilize triangulation methods for data collection. Most scientists utilize triangulation because it permits the use of quantitative and qualitative approaches to the research. Triangulation is suitable for studying Juvenile crime because it is a complex topic. The juvenile justice system is a broad topic and therefore the need for a comprehensive approach that will allow the collection of data. The research has many contradictions. As a result, there is a need for a multidimensional research approach to allow the integration of current and historical information about the topic.

Sampling

The research shall utilize sampling as a method for data collection. This method of data collection allows the collection of data to help answer the research question. Sampling is suitable for the study of this topic because it allows the generation of quantitative data. For example, random simply help eliminate bias in the raw data. Besides probability, sampling generates data from a multiple that facilitate reliable conclusion. Sampling is a flexible method for data collection because it allows the use of interviews and questionnaires during the field study.

Plan of Action

The research topic permits interaction with different people to gather the information to facilitate the project. Besides, many authors have studied the topic because it concerns many stakeholders in the society. As a result, I plan to use triangulation and sampling to collect data for analysis in this research. In this research, there is a need for both qualitative and quantitative research to a reliable conclusion. For this reason, triangulation method of data collection is most reliable in this research.

There are two types of sampling to use in the study of Juvenile Justice System in this case; I plan to utilize both stratified and random sampling. The topic touches the lives of parents, teachers, and government officials in charge of children affairs. The insecurity in the society due the juvenile gangs attracts the attention of homeland security officials. As a result, I will sample the population from the different types of stakeholders.

The sampled groups are sources of information for answering the research questions. I will utilize interviews and questionnaires to collect data from each sample category. The interview questions will seek answers for questions such as for the cause of violent criminal activity in children, and the possible intervention measures to curb juvenile criminal activities. In this research, finding answering the research questions is easy because interviewing help in finding firsthand information.

In this research, I need a reliable literature review. In the past, other researchers conducted research on the topic and therefore performing a literature review is helpful in giving a solid conclusion. In this research, there is a need to review the situations of the judicial system in different countries to understand how they treat juvenile criminals. In real life, it is costly to do research in foreign countries. However, for this research, I will read secondary sources on the topic to understand the nature of judicial systems in other countries.

Main Research Question

What should be done to curb the increasing violent crimes committed by youthful offenders?

The research question is simple and straightforward. In order to answer this research question, there is a need to combine the response from the field and secondary information for previous research. Combining responses from the sampled groups and the information from other scholars is justifiable because causes of juvenile criminal activities vary from one region to another. As a result, combining the information from different sources help researcher makes a reliable conclusion. The juvenile crime has been an issue for decades, and therefore different regions use u unique interventions programs. Learning the measures that stakeholders used to deter criminal activities in ancient time and combining with the modern strategies makes the result from the research reliable.

Sub Research Question

What are the underlying social issues that lead to criminal behavior in adolescents?

The sub-question of the research requires practical answers it needs a combination of critical thinking skills and findings from a field study. The social institution varies from one society to another. In the attempt to answer the research question, there is a need to consider the available social institution in different places and their influences. There is a need to redesign the interview questions to collect detailed information. The social issues that normally contribute to juvenile violence include drug abuse, sexual harassment during tender age, poverty, and family separations. In order to answer the sub-question, there is a need to collect firsthand information from victims of family separation. The use of sample population a source of information for research will help in answering the sub-question. The question requires research to understand the backgrounds of the sample population social issues vary from one place to another.

Conclusion

In this research, I will utilize triangulation and sampling methods of data collection. The two methods for data collection provide room for comprehensive research. For example, triangulation allows both qualitative and quantitative research. Sampling allows the utilization of questionnaires and interviews. The use of questionnaires and interviews on the sampled population allows the collection of firsthand information. The two research methods permit the use of other methods of data collection. For example, sampling can be used with questionnaires to collect data from the specific sample. The main research and sub research question is the reason for the choice of the research design.

Chapter 4
Results of the Study
Introduction

The study focuses on juvenile justice and the shortcomings of the system in different parts of the world. In the research, the plan for data collections involved reviewing literature, administering questionnaires and interviewing the sample population. The chosen research design for this study was to answer the main research question and the sub research question. However, during the research, the data was collected mainly through a review of secondary sources. Therefore, the research majors on the following main research question as well as its sub respectively. What should be done to curb the increasing violent crimes committed by youthful offenders? What are the underlying social issues that lead to delinquent and criminal behavior in adolescents?

During the research, it was apparent that many researchers have studied the topic and therefore a majority of the findings reflect a comprehensive study because of the variety of ideas. Researchers have proposed possible ways to curb the increasing violent crimes among youthful offenders as evident in the literature review. It is also apparent that majority of the researchers shows similarities in their findings. Interviews conducted also revealed that most respondents gave similar ideas like those found in secondary sources on how to reduce the increase of criminal activities among the youths. Both primary and secondary resources argue that most youths who are willing and ready to change can lead a meaningful life after they stop engaging in criminal activities. However, the youths must get some guidance from peer educators who change their mindset towards life so that they can decide to take a different path from that of criminal activities.

Findings
Main Research Question

What should be done to curb the increasing violent crimes committed by youthful offenders? Figure 1: Accused youths indicating the charged against those uncharged
Source: Pickett, Welch, Chiricos, & Gertz, 2014
One of the main ways in which the juvenile system can help curb the increasing violent crimes committed by youthful offenders is through the administration of justice and dealing with reported cases as soon as possible. This helps curb the violent crimes since youths understand that the system will punish them irrespective of their age as a lesson and a message to other offenders. Pickett, Welch, Chiricos, & Gertz (2014) argue that the juvenile system has a responsibility of dealing with cases reported to the office as soon as they arise instead of having a pile-up of various issues, which may limit the administration of justice to all offenders. It means that the number of accused youths in cells should reduce as they should be enrolled in the court and face justice so that the corrective measures against them are picked. This will help reduce the number of youths held in cells waiting for their prosecution. It will also reduce the possibility of having offenders facing ill-treatment from other inmates. There is also a high chance that the youthful offenders will enroll in corrective institutions based on the court rulings against their cases. Hence administering justice for the juvenile offenders, helps reduce crime rates.

Hutton & Woodworth (2014) suggest that early interventions help reduce criminal activities among the youthful offenders. Children under twelve years may have their parents attend the hearings in courts while those between thirteen and eighteen years can liaise with the prosecutors and have them advise the offenders on the way forward. It is important to keep children busy with age-appropriate activities, as it will help divert their minds from criminal activities that Disrupt them from nobly leading their lives. Parents should ensure that their school-going children attend school. It is also important to show interest in the progress of a child’s academic performance. Other early intervention programs include offering guidance and support for the youthful offenders so that they can change the course they have taken in life. Dufur et al. (2015) argue that preventing juveniles from repeating criminal activities through the interventions activities such as training, support, and guidance, and personalized approaches succeed.

Figure 2: success of early intervention programs

Source: Dufur et al. (2015)

According to Pickett, Welch, Chiricos, & Gertz (2014), rehabilitating the youth offenders is a good way to curb the rising criminal activities among the youths. Most youths engage in criminal activities due to peer influence, and when the prosecuted in court, the jury may find other underlying issues that trigger their involvement in gang activities. In addition, some of the offenders are honest and state their reasons for joining the criminal activities meaning that if given a chance, they are ready and willing to change their lives. One of the best approaches that courts suggest would help transform the youths is through rehabilitation where youths attend between three months and one year. During the stay, the youths go through counseling sessions and interact with like-minded people who are also going through similar struggles. The youths get education and training on different types of skills they can use after the treatment to engage in income generating projects.

Figure 3: Rehabilitation intervention programs

Source: Hutton & Woodworth, 2014
Figure 4: Success rate of rehab centers
Source: Hutton & Woodworth, 2014

Sub-Question
What are the underlying social issues that lead to delinquent and criminal behavior in adolescents?
According to Wood & Alleyne (2010, several social issues contribute to the delinquent and criminal behavior in the adolescents. Some of the social factors that increase the chances of youth involvement in the criminal behavior include substance abuse, low school attendance, poor education, peer influence, poverty, parental neglect, and social exclusion. It means that youths do not wake up one day and join a gang, which justifies that underlying issues in their lives force most of them in criminal activities.Figure 5: Reasons why youths join criminal gangs
Source: Krohn et al., 2011
Figure 6: interdependence between crime rates and unemployment rates
Source: Wood & Alleyne, 2010
Pyrooz, Sweeten, & Piquero (2013) argue that there is a relationship between criminal activities and unemployment rates among youths. Youths who drop out of school due to lack of financial capabilities have no legal means of getting employment and may choose to engage in crime as a way to keep busy. Most youths turn to crime as a way to compensate for a large amount of time they have on their hands yet have no construction activities to undertake.
On the other hand, poverty levels push some youths in criminal activities so that they can get a regular income to meet their daily needs. Some of the youthful offenders come from humble backgrounds and need money to support their families (Krohn et al., 2011). In addition, some of the drop out of school since their parents is unable to finance their academic quests. In addition, most youths engage in crime since they want to afford luxurious things in life they did not experience when growing up since they came from poor backgrounds. Figure 7: Relationship between poverty levels and criminal activities
Source: Sharkeyet al., 2011

Discussion from Questionnaires Responses
Youths who answered questions revealed that they were willing and ready to change their lives after going through rehabilitation programs since they had gained considerable insights about life. Respondents stated that after interacting with peer educators at the facilities, they were in a position to understand that engaging in criminal activities would lead to a low-quality life since they faced a possibility of going to jail and some of them would get killed when engaging in crime. Hence, from the positivity of the youths in the rehabilitation programs, there is a high possibility of having transformed people joining the society and leading meaningful lives.
Summary
The findings in the research reflect the main and the sub research question. As mentioned earlier, the findings are majorly from the secondary resources are evident in the literature review from chapter 2. Factors that contribute to youth crime include peer influence, irrelevant educational curriculum, social exclusion, poverty, and drug abuse and low school attendance. It is also apparent that reducing the number of the juvenile involving in criminal activities involves, early interventions activities, advocating for justice for juvenile offenders, preventing the juvenile from repeating similar criminal activities using strategies such as training, personalized approaches, and providing all the support they need. It is also imported to take juvenile offenders for rehabilitation to deter them from the subsequent involvement in the criminal activities. It was also found out that introducing a relevant curriculum to the juvenile is one of the interventions programs that help deter their delinquent behavior. Finally, it was clear that environment where the children grow matters because it contributes to their personality. There is a need to prevent peer pressure from causing the rise in juvenile crime.

Chapter 5
Summary and Discussion
Introduction
The increase of criminal activities among adolescents has attracted the attention of many scholars as they seek to understand the underlying issues that force young people into illegal groups (Morgan, Salomon, Plotkin, & Cohen, 2014). In addition, the treatment accorded to them during court proceedings depending on whether they are first time offenders or chronic. Some offenders get severe punishments despite the fact that it might be their first time, which raises the issue of high levels of injustices and the procedures used by courts to determine the fate of a young adult (Chesney-Lind & Pasko, 2013; Leve, Chamberlain, & Kim, 2015). Hence, the judicial system should go through a reform so that it can accommodate the growing needs of people seeking justice while at the same time ensuring they give fair punishments to offenders, which serve as a lesson to the community.
The juvenile justice system is a science that attempts to describe the criminal activities in adolescents and the reasons why young people join violent gangs (BarrettJu, Katsiyannis, & Zhang, 2015. The study used triangulation as the main method of collecting data since it was possible to maximize the qualitative and quantitative approaches and get quality results. Triangulation is also a detailed approach that allowed the research study compare the historical and current data about the juvenile justice system (Steinberg, Cauffman, & Monahan, 2015). In addition, the study used sampling to collect data from former members of gangs and parents of youths who have joined the illicit groups. Random sampling meant that every individual had an equal chance of being selected. It is possible to reduce the increasing criminal gang activities among youths by introducing inventions at early ages while giving justice for adolescents found engaging in crime (Braga, 2015). Further, it is essential to help adolescents adopt better decision-making by engaging them in training, guidance, and through rehabilitation so that they can cease taking part in illegal activities. Parents and the society have a responsibility of bringing up upright children that will help build the nation (Hutton, & Woodworth, 2014). Hence, it is important to correct and offer guidance to youths from an early age so that they can transform their ways when still younger.
Statement of Problem
In the last decades, the number of juveniles involved in crime and violence has escalated. There is also an increase in awareness regarding disparity in the treatment of male and female juvenile criminals in the judicial systems. Research shows that there is a high tendency of the courts to administer severe correctional measures to female juvenile criminals because they are rare. Hence, the securities are threatened by the rise in the number of juvenile criminals engaging in violent criminal activities. The rise is attributed to peer pressure, socialization in an institution of learning, and family. Further, there is a change in the trends as time advances. In most cases, juveniles engage violence and face the judicial systems in their respective countries. The treatment that juveniles face in judicial systems is worrying since most nations administer punishments administered to adult criminals. This research seeks to answer questions like what should be done to curb the increase in violent crimes committed by youthful offenders and the underlying issues that contribute to the criminal behavior in adolescents.
Main Research Question
What should be done to curb the increasing violent crimes committed by youthful offenders?

Sub
What are the underlying social issues that lead to delinquent and criminal behavior in adolescents?
Explanation of Project
The number of young offenders has increased in the recent past necessitating the need for court systems to intervene so that they can reduce the high number of adolescents committing crimes. However, even as the judicial system responds and gives its intervention programs, there are high levels of mistreatment on offenders as the state sometimes punishes them as adults yet they are underage (Makarios, Cullen, & Piquero, 2017). It has attracted the attention of the society to identify ways in which the juvenile justice system can help administer a fair trial to all people while punishing the offenders based on their ages and crimes. Further, it is essential for the juvenile system to consider treating female offenders with respect despite the crime against the state they have committed.
Review of Methodology
My research collected information from secondary and primary sources and combined them so that it can come up with a conclusive and reliable report. Stratified and random sampling methods were used when collecting information from parents, government officials that gave each member an equal chance of being a respondent. In addition, some of the information was obtained from the society to illustrate the level of suffering they have gone through from the increased juvenile criminal activities. Administration of questionnaires and interviews helped received the required information. The study also combined responses from the sampled responded to draw implications on the research questions and helped conclude with the reliable results. Triangulation was also used in the research methodology as it allows the study embrace a multidimensional approach, which allowed the consideration of both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of data.
On the other hand, secondary resources used for the study included publications, articles, journals, and magazines addressing the rise of juvenile offenders in different societies. All publications and published content were updated and had the latest information related to juvenile offenders. They were all published in the last ten years. This helped collect information from other countries as it was impossible to get direct contact with the communities living in areas affected by the increased juvenile criminal cases. All publications had to have a publisher, year of publication, author’s names and the city of publication to confirm its validation and reliability. Further, all articles were peer-reviewed to affirm that they meet the required standards in academic studies.
Summary of Results
The study used one main sub-question, birthed from the main research question. The sub-question used was ‘What are the underlying social issues that lead to delinquent and criminal behavior in adolescents?’ There were many lessons learned from the research in regards to the issues that push adolescents to engage in criminal activities. The study made it possible to understand that most youths start somewhere before they join criminal gangs and most affected by the social issues affecting their personal lives.
Underlying Issues which lead to Criminal Behavior in Adolescents
Most youths choose to engage in crime as a last option since they have failed in one or more areas to lead meaningful lives (Makarios, Cullen, & Piquero, 2017). Situations in their lives push them to join criminal gangs even though most of them end up being arrested and arraigned in court where justice must prevail since they were found in the wrong.
Most youths make wrong choices in their lives, which push them to seek for money where they can support themselves even though they are supposed to be their parents’ financial obligations. For instance, most youths indulge in drug and substance abuse, and they have to support their tendency and opt to engage in criminal activities where they can get money with ease. They use the resources collected from the public albeit through illegal means to support their substance abuse problem. Other adolescents come from poverty-stricken homes, which push them to criminal activities in a bid to get the basic needs (Barrett, Ju, Katsiyannis, & Zhang, 2015). Poor education and high school dropouts lead youths with no option than to engage in crime since they have no channel to direct their positive energy. Forming friends with people who influence their decisions wrongly has made many youths engage in criminal activities though they did not want to in the first place (Hinduja & Patchin, 2013). The high cases of parental neglect among youths have also contributed to the number of youths engaging in crime at a young age. Most join gangs so that they can get a social identity.
It is evident that the above social issues facing youths push them to crime since they must find a way to earn incomes and support their lives. Some of the issues identified above intertwine leading to a vicious cycle of poverty among youths. It becomes a trend for adolescents to join criminal gangs and when they fail to get assistance, there is a high probability of their children repeating the mistakes their parents did.
Relationship of Research to the Field
This research supported the draft submitted earlier through the presentation of factors that lead adolescents and other young people to engage in criminal activities. The draft suggested that young people join criminal gangs due to their social incapacities and inabilities of their families to provide them with their needs (Baglivio et al., 2017). Other youths join since they get influence from their friends and since they want to fit in, they engage in criminal activities. The research study discussed in details and supported the claims by arguing that children who come from humble backgrounds are most likely to join criminal gangs where they earn their income that can help support their families. In addition, the study identified the need to dissociate youths from peer pressure as it contributed to their high drop out in learning institutions, as they did not complete their studies.
Further, this research supported the draft uploaded in chapter 2 by highlighting the challenges female juvenile offenders. The draft emphasized the assumption most developing systems assume about female offenders stating that the few who engage in crime deserve severe punishment since not many of them take part in gang activities. However, the study investigated the claims and revealed that in as much there are many male members in a criminal gang, there are also females who take part in crime (Barrett, Ju, Katsiyannis, & Zhang, 2015). Most female offenders are not active and not in the limelight, which means that only males get negative publicity. The study emphasized on the need to accord both male and female offenders similar punishments since they both commit crimes against the state.
This research supported claims in the draft through the argument presented by Chesney-Lind & Pasko (2013) in that the recent past has seen an increase in the number of women engaging in criminal activities as opposed to some few years earlier where most offenders were male adolescents. The women are organized and provide their instinct skills in a gang, which increases the success of criminal activities (Hutton & Woodworth, 2014). In addition, since the society perceives that women do not commit crimes, there is a slow reception towards reports from the society when they suspect females to be the main perpetrators.
This research offered support to the uploaded draft by stating that there is hope for the future to help reduce the number of adolescents joining criminal gangs (Wang & Fredricks, 2014). The society continues to suffer from the increase of criminal activities, but there is need to intervene and provide support for all people. For instance, the study capitalized on the need to engage offenders in youthful programs like rehabilitation centers where they go through guidance on how to lead their lives in an upright manner. Both male and female offenders have an equal chance of redeeming their lives as long as they have the commitment and willpower to change and stop engaging in criminal activities (Hinduja & Patchin, 2013). Further, this study proved that criminal activities is an issue affecting people of all races and not limited to people of color. However, the solutions apply to all people since the social issue is universal.
Discussion of Results
The study findings are significant as they can be employed by juvenile justice systems of different countries in the world. The study suggested solutions on how to reduce the increase of criminal activities among the youths and ways in which governments and societies can help transform offenders (Hinduja & Patchin, 2013). At the beginning of the study, the research confirmed and recognized that youth offenders and increase in criminal activities among young people are a social issue affecting different countries in the world. Hence, suggestions and solutions can apply to the nations as a whole as long as the court systems are willing and able to pick up the ideas suggested and customize them to fit within the judicial system and constitutional requirements. The study was also significant in emphasizing the need to stop stigmatization of male offenders by giving them harsh punishments on the assumption that women rarely engage in criminal activities (Wang & Fredricks, 2014). Both male and youthful female offenders get into criminal gangs where the latter are silent members while the former are actively participating in the crime. Hence, during arrests, most males are arrested while women go free. It leads to misguided assumptions that there are a few females in gang-related activities. Therefore, the few women get severe punishments than men as a lesson to the rest. Further, the work adds to the body of knowledge in crime and justice system by providing insights on how to deal with youthful offenders who are willing to transform their ways if given a chance to change (Hinduja & Patchin, 2013). The study has demystified the assumption that most youths have signed a lifetime commitment to criminal activities as most of them give in to pressure and are willing to transform their ways and become law-abiding citizens.
Conclusions
The project has successfully answered the major question it identified at the beginning of the study validating that there is hope for curbing the increased violent criminal activities among the youths. The study identified intervention methods like taking the offenders through rehabilitation programs so that they can reform their ways and get professional guidance from therapists that help youths identify underlying issues pushing them to join gangs. The study emphasized that parents and the society have a role to play in providing an enabling environment for their children to thrive when pursuing activities related to their age. For instance, parents should ensure that their children are enrolled in learning institutions so that they can keep away from peer influence to engage in criminal activities and other social evils like drug and substance abuse. Further, the juvenile justice system should administer justice for the offenders by ensuring that youths found in the wrong get the right form of punishment and that the society does not take the law in their hands, which can interfere with the administration of justice. The study found it important to engage youth offenders in guidance, counseling and persuading the adolescents from joining criminal gangs, as it would affect their lives both in the short-term and in the long-term. A personalized approached to have a high probability of having a positive impact on the change of youth offenders from engaging in crime. Apart from punishing youths due to criminal activities, they engage in the society; it is important to understand the social issues that lead them to engage in crime in the first place so that the government through the court can intervene. Intervention programs will help discourage more youths from following the same steps, focus their energy on personal development, and improve their skills while living meaningful lives.

References
Bachman, R. D., & Schutt, R. K. (2017). Fundamentals of research in criminology and criminal justice. Sage Publications.
Baglivio, M. T., Wolff, K. T., Jackowski, K., & Greenwald, M. A. (2017). A multilevel examination of risk/need change scores, community context, and successful reentry of committed juvenile offenders. Youth violence and juvenile justice, 15(1), 38-61.
Barrett, D. E., Ju, S., Katsiyannis, A., & Zhang, D. (2015). Females in the juvenile justice system: Influences on delinquency and recidivism. Journal of child and family studies, 24(2), 427-433.
Bean, P. (2013). Rehabilitation and Deviance (Routledge Revivals). Routledge.
Braga, A. A. (2015). Better policing can improve legitimacy and reduce mass incarceration. Harv. L. Rev. F., 129, 233.
Burton, A. (2017). A Commonsense Conclusion: Creating a Juvenile Carve out of the Massachusetts Felony Murder Rule. Harv. CR-CLL Rev., 52, 169.
Chesney-Lind, M., & Pasko, L. (2013). The female offender: Girls, women, and crime. Sage.
Crawford, A., & Evans, K. (2017). Crime prevention and community safety (pp. 797-824). Oxford University Press.
Dufur, M. J., Hoffmann, J. P., Braudt, D. B., Parcel, T. L., & Spence, K. R. (2015). Examining the effects of family and school social capital on delinquent behavior. Deviant Behavior, 36(7), 511-526.
Haynes, S. H., Cares, A. C., & Ruback, R. B. (2014). Juvenile Economic Sanctions. Criminology & Public Policy, 13(1), 31-60.
Hinduja, S., & Patchin, J. W. (2013). Social influences on cyberbullying behaviors among middle and high school students. Journal of youth and adolescence, 42(5), 711-722.
Hutton, E. L., & Woodworth, M. (2014). Violent female youth: an examination of instrumental violence, psychopathy, and offense characteristics. Behavioral sciences & the law, 32(1), 121-134.
Krohn, M. D., Schmidt, N. M., Lizotte, A. J., & Baldwin, J. M. (2011). The impact of multiple marginalities on gang membership and delinquent behavior for Hispanic, African American, and white male adolescents. Journal of contemporary criminal justice, 27(1), 18-42.
Leve, L. D., Chamberlain, P., & Kim, H. K. (2015). Risks, outcomes, and evidence-based interventions for girls in the US juvenile justice system. Clinical child and family psychology review, 18(3), 252-279.
Makarios, M., Cullen, F. T., & Piquero, A. R. (2017). Adolescent criminal behavior, population heterogeneity, and cumulative disadvantage: Untangling the relationship between adolescent delinquency and negative outcomes in emerging adulthood. Crime & Delinquency, 63(6), 683-707.
Monahan, K. C., Rhew, I. C., Hawkins, J. D., & Brown, E. C. (2014). Adolescent pathways to co‐occurring problem behavior: The effects of peer delinquency and peer substance use. Journal of research on adolescence, 24(4), 630-645.
Morgan, E., Salomon, N., Plotkin, M., & Cohen, R. (2014). The school discipline consensus report: Strategies from the field to keep students engaged in school and out of the juvenile justice system. New York: Council of State Governments Justice Center.
Pickett, J. T., Welch, K., Chiricos, T., & Gertz, M. (2014). Racial crime stereotypes and offender juvenility: comparing public views about youth-specific and non-youth-specific sanctions. Race and Justice, 4(4), 381-405.
Pyrooz, D. C., Sweeten, G., & Piquero, A. R. (2013). Continuity and change in gang membership and gang embeddedness. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 50(2), 239-271.
Racial disparities and the juvenile justice system: A legacy of trauma. Los Angeles, CA, and Durham, NC: National Center for Child Traumatic Stress.
Sharkey, J. D., Shekhtmeyster, Z., Chavez-Lopez, L., Norris, E., & Sass, L. (2011). The protective influence of gangs: Can schools compensate?. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 16(1), 45-54.
Shulman, E. P., Monahan, K. C., & Steinberg, L. (2017). Severe violence during adolescence and early adulthood and its relation to anticipated rewards and costs. Child development, 88(1), 16-26.
Steinberg, L. D., Cauffman, E., & Monahan, K. (2015). Psychosocial maturity and distance from crime in a sample of serious juvenile offenders. US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
Van Ness, D. W., & Strong, K. H. (2014). Restoring justice: An introduction to restorative justice. Routledge.
Wang, M. T., & Fredricks, J. A. (2014). The reciprocal links between school engagement, youth problem behaviors, and school dropout during adolescence. Child development, 85(2), 722-737.
Widom, C. S., & Wilson, H. W. (2015). Intergenerational transmission of violence. In Violence and mental health (pp. 27-45). Springer Netherlands.
Wood, J., & Alleyne, E. (2010). Street gang theory and research: Where are we now and where do we go from here? Aggression and violent behavior, 15(2), 100-111.

Survey Questionnaire
General questions
Please tick appropriately
Main Research Question: What should be done to curb the increasing violent crimes committed by youthful offenders?
i. What is your gender
Male
Female
ii. Have you been engaged in crime?
Yes
No (thank you, your survey ends here)
Critical Questions
iii. Have you ever been arrested for a crime?
Yes
No (your survey ends here)
iv. What was your main reason for being arrested?
Stealing with violence
Hijacking
Other
v. Are women engaged in criminal activities?
Yes
No
vi. What should be done to curb the increasing violent crimes committed by youthful offenders?

Very important

Somewhat important

Neutral

Somewhat unimportant

Not important at all

Education

Reduce negative peer influence

Rehabilitation

Maintain an open relationship with parents and guardians

vii. Based on your previous experiences, which things are the most important that should be improved/
None, everything is good
Availability of rehabilitation programs
Quality guidance and counseling
Educating the youths on ways to engage in good behavioral activities
Other
viii. Are you satisfied with the overall services you received while at the rehabilitation centers during your stay? Please state the reason why the facilities scored the rate you gave their services

1

2

3

4

5

Least satisfied

Most satisfied

Reason

Annotated Bibliography
Baglivio, M. T., Wolff, K. T., Jackowski, K., & Greenwald, M. A. (2017). A multilevel examination of risk/need change scores, community context, and successful reentry of committed juvenile offenders. Youth violence and juvenile justice, 15(1), 38-61.
The source contains details research on factors that expose teenagers to criminal activities. The data in the source provide a foundation to the first readers on the topic of juvenile research. The authors of the article provided first data from different communities regarding the factors causing juvenile criminal activities. The research proposes interventions program suitable for juvenile offenders. This source is relevant to the research topic because it provides the ideas that help answer the research question. With the source, it is more accessible to answers the questions requiring the causes of juvenile crime and measures to curb criminal acts among the teenagers.
Barrett, D. E., Ju, S., Katsiyannis, A., & Zhang, D. (2015). Females in the juvenile justice system: Influences on delinquency and recidivism. Journal of child and family studies, 24(2), 427-433.
The major point in the article is female in the juvenile justice. In the capstone research, there is a need to answer the question on causes of disparities in criminal justice. The authors of the article did their best to explain how most societies view female criminals. During the research, there will be a need to explain the areas that need reforms in the juvenile justices to ensure fair treatment of the female criminals. The source is therefore relevant to the research because it explains the variation in criminal activities among the juvenile. Their social institutions such as schools, church, and society play an essential role in the criminal justice system.
Braga, A. A. (2015). Better policing can improve legitimacy and reduce mass incarceration. Harv. L. Rev. F., 129, 233.
In the research, there will be a need to explain the causes of mass incarceration of youths. The reasons for the mass incarceration of youths differ with the society. According to the article, the family and the community play a significant role in socializing the youths. The author of the article argues that teenagers borrow the values from the members of the society. The source is relevant to the research because it is informed of the measures reduce mass incarceration. The source also explains the role of policies in regulating the behaviors of the juvenile.
Chesney-Lind, M., & Pasko, L. (2013). The female offender: Girls, women, and crime. Sage.
The article explains the issues facing female offenders in the courts. The source explains the factors contributing to the rise in the number of female criminals. There is an intensive discussion on the reasons for harsh treatments of women criminals. The research advocates for reforms in the criminal justice to cater for the needs of the female and the male criminals. In the capstone research paper, the resource will be helpful in explaining the dynamics of the criminal activities in the society. The society expects that few female show interests in criminal activities. However, the trends in the criminal activities are changing where the number of female criminals is rising at an alarming rate.
Hutton, E. L., & Woodworth, M. (2014). Violent female youth: an examination of instrumental violence, psychopathy, and offense characteristics. Behavioral sciences & the law, 32(1), 121-134.
The source is about the female criminal activities. The researcher provides the characteristic of female criminals and the factors that push female to engage in criminal activities. Besides, the sources provide detailed information regarding the difference in male and female juvenile criminals. The source shows that most societies do not expect the female to engage in criminal a activities and therefore the few female criminals are treated severely. The severe treatment of female criminals interferes with their rehabilitation. The source is relevant to the research because it shows the history female crimes and interventions factors that can help deter behaviors causing criminal activities.
Racial disparities and the juvenile justice system: A legacy of trauma. Los Angeles, CA, and Durham, NC: National Center for Child Traumatic Stress.
The source is the report on a case study of Los Angeles. The report is intensive, and it explains the relationship between race and juvenile justice. It is apparent that race plays a significant role in the juvenile justice system. The article addresses many issues that are important in the capstone research. The idea of disparities in the juvenile justice systems comes clear in the text where the author discussed issues of gender and as significant contributors to gender disparities. In the text, the author discusses the implication of incarceration in the developmental psychology of the juvenile. I will use the source to provide support for common ideas regarding causes and consequences of juvenile crime.
Leve, L. D., Chamberlain, P., & Kim, H. K. (2015). Risks, outcomes, and evidence-based interventions for girls in the US juvenile justice system. Clinical child and family psychology review, 18(3), 252-279.
The source is relevant to the capstone research in many ways. For example, in the capstone project, there is a need to discuss the nature of justice systems in the U.S and the issues facing the juvenile justice system. The article provides an overview of juvenile criminal activities in the U.S. U.S is a country with high diversity, and therefore there are many cases of disparities in the juvenile system. The source discusses the current intervention measures to prevent the female from engaging in criminal activities in the U.S. The authors examined some of the factors that contribute to rising in the number of female participating in criminal activities. The source is helpful in compiling the research and providing satisfactory evidence the cause of juvenile crime.
Morgan, E., Salomon, N., Plotkin, M., & Cohen, R. (2014). The school discipline consensus report: Strategies from the field to keep students engaged in school and out of the juvenile justice system. New York: Council of State Governments Justice Center.
The setting of the research in the article is school system. The researchers attempted to explain the contribution of various social institutions in regulating the criminal activities among the youths. In the text, the authors discussed factors such as peer influence, school management and the role of family setting in juvenile criminal activities. In the text, it is apparent that the school plays an important role instilling discipline in student and deterring the juvenile from criminal activities. The life of juvenile outside the school exposes them to criminal activities. The article will be helpful in the research because it provides valuable information in the juvenile crimes.
Pickett, J. T., Welch, K., Chiricos, T., & Gertz, M. (2014). Racial crime stereotypes and offender juvenility: comparing public views about youth-specific and non-youth-specific sanctions. Race and Justice, 4(4), 381-405.
In the past, there were minimal cases of juvenile crime. There is a change in the trends where many teenagers are violent and engage in many criminal activities. The information in this source will help answer the research question. For example, the authors of the article are creative because they gave the difference between youths and non-youth criminals. The article will help in adding a variety of ideas to the literature because the authors wrote the text from a diverse perspective. The issues of race and stereotypes are essential in building the research project. I will use the article when handling the issues of race and stereotypes associated with the juvenile justice.
Shulman, E. P., Monahan, K. C., & Steinberg, L. (2017). Severe violence during adolescence and early adulthood and its relation to anticipated rewards and costs. Child development, 88(1), 16-26.
The article provides a study of the personality of the adolescence. In the text, the author provides an exposition on the strange personality of the adolescence. The source provides an understanding regarding the growth the development of the adolescence. Reading the article provides an understanding regarding the reasons for particular behaviors among the adolescence. This source is helpful in this research because there is a need to understand child developments and the reasons for their change in their behavior. The environment shapes the children, and therefore growth and development vary from one child to another.
Steinberg, L. D., Cauffman, E., & Monahan, K. (2015). Psychosocial maturity and distance from crime in a sample of serious juvenile offenders. US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
The source is a discussion on the psychological development of the juvenile. In this article, reads can easily understand the dynamics in the personalities of the juvenile. The source helps readers understand the measures to curb criminal activities among the juvenile. The source also contains a proposal for reforms in the justice system to help modify the lives of the juvenile. The source is helpful in this research because it adds to the variety of ideas from other sources. The source will be useful in understanding the criminal justice in U.S. Besides; the source provides proposals needed for reforms in the criminal justice in different countries.
Wang, M. T., & Fredricks, J. A. (2014). The reciprocal links between school engagement, youth problem behaviors, and school dropout during adolescence. Child development, 85(2), 722-737.
The source provides a report on the personality development among the adolescence. The life of the adolescence is complicated because some of them drop out of school because of peer influence. I found the source relevant to the study because it laid a foundation for readers to understand the personalities of the adolescence. The childhood is an essential determinant in shaping the personality of a child. The adolescent learns criminal activities from their peers, parents, and movies. This source will be helpful in the research because it helps in explaining the changes in the behavior of the adolescence.
Monahan, K. C., Rhew, I. C., Hawkins, J. D., & Brown, E. C. (2014). Adolescent pathways to co‐occurring problem behavior: The effects of peer delinquency and peer substance use. Journal of research on adolescence, 24(4), 630-645.
The character development of an individual is involved during the adolescence. The article emphasizes the need for support for the adolescence to protect them from criminal activities. The author links the criminal activities for the adolescence to the access to drugs, and peer influence. It is evident that changing the personality of the adolescence is simple especially when the adolescence is under the influence of their peers. The source is relevant to the research especially when explaining the dynamics in the behaviors of the adolescence.
Dufur, M. J., Hoffmann, J. P., Braudt, D. B., Parcel, T. L., & Spence, K. R. (2015). Examining the effects of family and school social capital on delinquent behavior. Deviant Behavior, 36(7), 511-526.
Family and school are social institutions that affect the personality of the adolescence. It is apparent that the values that children from their tenders age remain for the rest of their lives. The source provides the idea that children are born with a clean slate but learns most of the things from the environment. The researchers hold that it there is a close relationship between delinquent behavior and the environment that a child is brought up. For a decade, deviant behavior results from improper treatment of kids and lack of support. This source, therefore, is relevant for the research because it explains the source of delinquent behavior and proper interventions for the behavior.
Hinduja, S., & Patchin, J. W. (2013). Social influences on cyberbullying behaviors among middle and high school students. Journal of youth and adolescence, 42(5), 711-722.
The source is about the current trends in lifestyles of the youth. The access to the internet allows the Youths to interact with friends online. Online communication makes youths vulnerable to cyberbullying. The article discusses the implication of social institutions such as family, friends, and school in affecting the personality of the youths. The adolescents are fragile because the environment affects their personalities. The role models in the society mislead the adolescence because some of the celebrities are drug dealers and criminal. I will consider such issues in the research.
Burton, A. (2017). A Commonsense Conclusion: Creating a Juvenile Carve out of the Massachusetts Felony Murder Rule. Harv. CR-CLL Rev., 52, 169.
The article is a report on the case study of Massachusetts; The case study shows the strategies that help rehabilitate the youth after criminal activity. The juvenile system in Massachusetts is a typical example, for the needed reforms to help teenagers recover from criminal activity. The research expresses the concerns regarding the life of the teenagers in the jails and the nature of treatments in the recovery process. The source is helpful to the research because it helps answer the question regarding rehabilitation facilities for the youth. It is apparent that youths undergo stressful moments after committing crimes.