Early Crisis Intervention and the Risk of Juvenile Delinquency - Term Paper Example

Early Crisis Intervention and the Risk of Juvenile Delinquency Juvenile delinquency is one of the issues of concern for the modern society. Juvenile delinquency refers to the participation in an unlawful activity by an individual who is yet to attain the legal majority age. In most countries, the statutory majority age is usually 18 years. Any criminal suspect who is under this age is, therefore, regarded as a juvenile offender. The justice system of various countries has a special consideration for juvenile offenders and handles them more leniently than adult criminals. Although the rates of juvenile offenses have been declining for the past few years, the number of children and teenagers engaging in criminal activities is still alarming. In the United States, for example, the Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention estimates that there were approximately 75 million juvenile delinquents in 2013 (justicepolicy.org). The cost of juvenile delinquency to the US citizen is overwhelming. For instance, the US government spends close to $240.99 on each incarcerated and temporary remanded youth per day (justicepolicy.org). Additionally, Juvenile crimes also result in loss of properties, trauma and health injuries to the victims. So, how can the society get rid of juvenile delinquency crimes? Most psychologists suggest that early intervention measures of juvenile crimes are more effective in addressing the vice than the reactive methods such as incarceration and juvenile rehabilitation. The present research ascertains this proposition by examining the connection between crisis intervention and the risk of juvenile delinquency. In order to identify the connection between early crisis intervention and juvenile delinquency, this paper begins by understanding how individuals turn to juvenile crimes. It also compares between early interventions and the reactive measures. For clarity, early intervention in this paper refers to any action that intends to prevent an individual from engaging in juvenile criminal activities even before any identifiable signs that the person could engage in crimes. On the other hand, reactive measures include solutions that are employed after an individual has already participated in juvenile crimes or is found likely to engage in crimes. Risk Factors for Juvenile Delinquency Why do children and teenagers engage in criminal activities? Unlike adults whose primary aim of engaging in crime is economic reasons, most of the under-age criminals rarely cite economic satisfaction as the major reason for their behavior (Benson, 2012). For this reason, social and psychological analysts use the behavior and developmental stages of human beings to explain the risk factors for increasing juvenile delinquency. There are two major categories of risk factors that will be evaluated in this paper; mainly the social and individual-level risk factors. Social factors Social factors are the leading causes of juvenile delinquency. As Benson (2012) explains, many children and teenagers resort to juvenile delinquency following the failure of the social system around them. One of the major social failures is poor family structure. Family disintegration due to death of parents, divorce or irresponsible parenthood is highly attributed to juvenile delinquent behaviors. According to Moss et al. (2014), many children from single parent families have a higher chance of juvenile arrest and incarceration than their peers in standard families. Additionally, delinquent behaviors among children in incomplete families are associated with the lack of parental supervision and control. Most of the incomplete families are hit by poverty, prompting children to look for alternative ways to raise income. In addition, children from incomplete families are poorly educated, increasing their chances of engaging in wrongful activities. While incidences of juvenile delinquency are high among children raised in incomplete families, there are other factors within a complete family that also contribute to children’s involvement in crime. For instance, some parents fail to offer parental support and are poor role models for their children. Children raised by such parents are usually poorly supervised and are not appreciated upon achievement. For this reason, they fail to distinguish the good and bad morals and thus become prone to juvenile crimes. As Moss et al. elaborate children are also affected lack affection and antisocial behaviors of the parents (2014). Although committing a crime is not an inheritable trait, children tend to emulate their parents' behaviors. Thus, there is a high chance that a criminal’s child will get involved in crime even before they are mature. Aside from family structures, system failure may also occur in other systems such as the schools and education curriculum. In a comprehensive analytical study on the link between school dropout and juvenile crimes, Anderson, (2014) school dropouts are at a higher chance of taking part in the crimes. Additionally, Anderson established that the age at which a child drop out of school is significantly related to their involvement in crime. Precisely, children who drop out of school at a younger age are more likely to engage in delinquent behaviors. In another study, Baruah and Goswami established that students drop out of school due to failures in the school system besides the lack of parental control (2014). For example, a school’s rules may be discouraging to poor performing students leading to increased school drop outs. School policies such as expulsion and suspension contribute to early school dropout. However, being out of school when others are in school tempts a child to engage in delinquent involvements. The community around which children are raised may also predispose them to juvenile delinquency. As Mennis et al. (2011) explain, children raised in an adverse environment such as slums have a higher chance of engaging in truancy. According to Mennis and other’s study, children may respond to the hostile environment around them by also becoming aggressive. For instance, children that constantly witness violence when they are growing up, have a high chance of becoming violent in their later life. Accordingly, violence and crime are more prevalent in an adverse neighborhood such as slums than in standard residents. As a result, children raised in those neighborhoods get firsthand experience with crime and violent behavior, prompting them to respond by engaging in delinquent behavior. Consistently, studies have also shown that homeless children are more likely to become truant than typically housed children (Mennis et al., 2011, Gardner et al., 2011). The family ties in the homeless environment are generally weak. Therefore, children raised in homeless settings lack adequate parental love and support which are also risk factors for juvenile delinquency. Peer influence has also been identified as a social risk factor for juvenile delinquency. As Gardner et al. 2011elaborates, children and teenagers tend to be conformists and are thus influenced by their peers. A child is likely to engage in criminal activities not because they approve the crime, but because their companions also engage in the same. While not every child may bow to peer pressure, some children and teenagers tend to engage in criminal activities just because their closest peers are also doing it. Individual-Level Factors While individuals’ social surrounding may lure them into crime, psychologists note that there are personal reasons that pre-dispose them into crimes. However, some of the proposed individual-level factors have elicited contested debate among the analysts. For instance, studies have linked some prenatal and perinatal factors with delinquent behaviors in a child’s life. As Tibbetts and Rivera elaborates, some studies have shown that complications during delivery increase a child’s chance of engaging in truancy (2015). Other studies have also implied that children whose parent smoked during pregnancy are more likely to participate in juvenile crimes. However, Tibbetts and Rivera (2015) state that there is a need for more research on prenatal and perinatal factor’s effect on juvenile delinquency. The mental and psychological stability of an individual has also been identified as a major cause of delinquent behavior. For example, less intelligent children are more likely to get involved in criminal activities. Other mental conditions such as hyperactivity, attention disorder, and impulsivity have also been identified as risk factors for juvenile delinquency (Siegel & Welsh, 2014). Although some of these factors may not be directly responsible for the delinquent behaviors, they divert an individual from normal functions, making them prone to becoming juvenile criminals. For instance, low intelligence and attention disorder affect a child’s education and may even result in school dropout. Additionally, some of these mental problems make a child feel inadequate and unworthy to engage in normal life activities. As a result, a child gets tempted to explore uncommon activities such as truancy. Early Crisis Intervention and Juvenile Delinquency From the above discussion, it is apparent that the personal and social risk factors are prevalent in the individual’s life even long before they engage in crimes. Some children are exposed to these risk factors right from their first day of life. For this reason, it is prudent for juvenile delinquency intervention programs to be introduced early in an individual’s life so as to counter the impact of the risk factors. Additionally, scientific studies have proved that early intervention is effective that post-crime rehabilitative measures. According to Loeber and Farrington (2012) most juvenile delinquents become repeat offenders even after going through the juvenile justice systems. Also, juvenile offenders have a higher chance carrying their criminal behaviors in adulthood. However, early intervention prevents the development of delinquent behaviors, thus eliminating the chance of habitual truancy. So, how does early crisis intervention impact juvenile delinquency? The following section reviews some of the early intervention programs and assesses how each impact on juvenile delinquency. Early intervention programs range from a well-organized programs whose goal is to keep children away from truancy, to unregulated efforts that ensure that a child grows typically. Examples of organized programs include specific activities that target street children, such as match competitions and counseling session. According to Mennis et al. (2011), there is a rapid increase in the number of homeless children in the modern days. Actually, the rising number of homeless children creates a crisis in society owing to risk factors attributed to being homeless. For instance, Street children are at a high risk of engaging in crimes due to lack of social amenities, family love and lack of parental control. However, government and various non-governmental organizations address the plight of street children by providing them with homes, placing them in foster families and facilitate their school attendance. As a result, these children reconcile with the society and adopt normal lives. Consequently, the former homeless children are rescued from the risk factors associated with being homeless, one of it being the possibility of engaging in crime. Aside from the street children crisis, the rate of school dropouts and bullying in schools is another class of the crisis affecting the society today. There are various school-based intervention programs that have been practiced over the years. For instance, the government has abolished the culture of forcing students to repeat a course or a given grade following poor performances. The culture of forced repetition is among the factors that lead to increased school dropouts. Additionally, there has been increased anti-bullying campaign in schools. Bullying and being bullied result to low self-esteem which may lure one to engage in crime. The school-based programs aim at making the school a desirable environment for learners. As results, there are reduced instances of school dropout which consequently reduces the chances of engaging in delinquency crime. Studies have shown that high rates of school dropouts results in increased juvenile arrests. For this reason, reduction in school dropout results in a reduction in juvenile incarceration. Poverty is one of the social crises that go hand in hand with increased rates of juvenile delinquency. As Mennis et al. (2011) explain, incidences of juvenile truancy are significantly high in poverty stricken areas. Poor parents can barely meet the basic needs of their children such as providing enough food and quality healthcare. Additionally, children born in poverty-stricken neighborhoods have high rates of school dropouts due to lack of school fees and other basic needs. As a result, there has been a correlation between poverty and increased incidence of juvenile delinquency. However, there are various government and community-based programs that address poverty. For example, the government provides basic needs such food and as healthcare at a subsidized cost. A poverty eradication program is an indirect intervention for juvenile delinquency. As Gardner et al., (2011) imply, poverty and the rates of juvenile crime rates are positively correlated. Discussion From the above examples of early crisis intervention, it is apparent that the early crisis intervention reduces the incidences of juvenile delinquency. Various social and economic crises contribute to delinquent behaviors. Basically, social crisis predisposes children into the risk factors for juvenile delinquency. Therefore, early crisis intervention solves the crisis and also prevents the possibility of individuals engaging in crimes. Early crisis intervention lowers the risk of becoming a juvenile delinquent. As discussed above, there are various personal and social factors that drive individual to delinquent behaviors. Individuals are exposed to these factors in early days of their life or even before they are born. While not every individual who is exposed to these factors tend to engage in juvenile truancy, some are not able to withstand these forces and ends up engaging in crime activities. The cost of dealing with juvenile delinquency behaviors to the society is increasingly high. Therefore, the government and general community should enact early crisis intervention programs so as to prevent juvenile delinquencies from happening in the first place. Although studies have proven that early crisis intervention lowers the risk of delinquent behaviors, the current responses in most countries are reactive (Siegel & Welsh, 2014). They focus on harsh punitive measures such as tough sentences, long term incarceration and so on. Further, there has been a persistent notion among the public that the juvenile judicial system should be made tougher so as to end the menace. Many people argue that the less punitive juvenile courts are responsible for increased rates of juvenile recidivism. However, this is a mistaken notion that is not supported by either logical argument or scientific studies. Recommendations While the conventional means of dealing with juvenile criminals may be appropriate, preventing the vice from occurring in the first place is cost effective. The conventional means advocate on psychological and punitive treatment to a juvenile offender; however, this paper finds that prior prevention is far much economical. Therefore, the modern society should invest in ways that address the risk factors of juvenile deficiency. These include fostering functional family, eradicating poverty and enhancing education. Parent and guardian play an important role in a child’s life. When a child grows up without an immediate guardian, they are likely to go astray. For this reason, the government should not ensure that every child has an immediate and responsible guardian who does not have to be the biological parent. Additionally, parents and guardians should be educated on matters of delinquency behaviors and what to watch out for their children. Mostly, children exhibit signs of becoming truant long before they are intercepted by the law enforcers. Therefore, the parent or guardian should be able to pick those signs of truancy so as to provide the child with the necessary social and psychological support to prevent further delinquency. Earlier identification of behavioral problems enables parents seeks treatment for their children before the matter goes out of hand. Also, parents and guardians should be encouraged to be role models for their children. For instance, children should not be exposed to domestic violence or unaffectionate relationship at a tender age. Additionally, the government should instigate policies that eradicate poverty among the low-income earners. Some of the appropriate ways of fighting poverty includes creating employment and encouraging and supporting the public in self-employment initiatives. Additionally, the government should provide basic necessity such as housing, food and medication to the poor and homeless. It should also ensure that the poor people’s children have equal opportunities to acquire quality education just as the middle-class and rich people’s children. Ensuring that children acquire education solves juvenile delinquency by not just engaging children to keep them off from truancy, but also kills the vicious cycle of poverty. Poor people’s children are poorly educated and thus, have fewer chances of securing good jobs in future which increases their chances of becoming poor in the future. Conclusion Evidently, early crisis intervention reduces the risk of juvenile delinquency. Early intervention ensures that juvenile delinquency is obstructed from happening long before it occurs. This prevents those chances of an individual becoming a habitual offender. Early intervention is not only effective in reducing crimes, but it also saves on the cost of handling juvenile criminals. References Anderson, D. M. (2014). In school and out of trouble? The minimum dropout age and juvenile crime. Review of Economics and Statistics, 96(2), 318-331. Retrieved from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1162/REST_a_00360#.VSX_VvAwjIU Baruah, S. R., & Goswami, U. (2014). Factors influencing school dropouts in relation to socio-economic background. International Journal of Farm Sciences, 3(1), 170-174. Retrieved from http://inflibnet.ac.in/ojs/index.php/IJFS/article/view/2227 Benson, M. (2012). Crime and the Lifecourse: An Introduction. Routledge. Gardner, M., Roth, J., & Brooks-Gunn, J. (2011). Sports participation and juvenile delinquency: The role of the peer context among adolescent boys and girls with varied histories of problem behavior. Retrieved from http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/spy/1/S/19/ Justice Policy Institute. (2009). The Costs of Confinement: Why Good Juvenile Justice Policies Make Good Fiscal Sense. Retrieved from http://www.justicepolicy.org/images/upload/09_05_rep_costsofconfinement_jj_ps.pdf Loeber, R., & Farrington, D. P. (Eds.). (2012). From juvenile delinquency to adult crime: Criminal careers, justice policy and prevention. Oxford University Press. Moss, H. B., Lynch, K. G., Hardie, T. L., & Baron, D. A. (2014). Family functioning and peer affiliation in children of fathers with antisocial personality disorder and substance dependence: associations with problem behaviors. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11925299 Mennis, J., Harris, P. W., Obradovic, Z., Izenman, A. J., Grunwald, H. E., & Lockwood, B. (2011). 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