Public Perceptions of Youth Crimes in the Modern World - Research Paper Example

Public Perceptions on Youth Crimes Name Institution Abstract Public perceptions on youth crimes and young offenders are influenced by the media. The information passed by the media is sometimes exaggerated and does not rely on first hand information and experience. This paper seeks to discuss public perception on youth crime and young offenders. The research has been conducted using qualitative and quantitative research methodology. The significance of the study has been discussed based on the youth crime and young offenders. The research has been discussed using the following demographics age groups above 18 years, gender, household type, the level of education and juvenile in household. In addition to that the literature review data analysis has been conducted. The method has included the sample, ethics, Paradigm and assumptions, research design and data collection procedure. Lastly the finding and interpretations have been discussed. The research has also incorporated limitations of the study and provides Directions for the future research. 1. Introduction Responsibility and accountability go hand in hand and thus the reason young individuals are taught to be responsible and accountable to reduce social issues. One of the social problems that are going to be discussed is the public perception in youth crimes and young offenders. The law enforcers and the public have been in the dilemma on what can be done to the youth crimes and young offenders based on the fact that sending them to jail does not solve the issue. The debate of juvenile offenders in the media has been reviewed for a long time, and the stakeholders have concluded that the present policies and the laws that were passed are ineffective. According to Goldson and Munice, 2012 the policies and legislation are ineffective based on the fact that crimes that are conducted by the young generation have been increasing. Due to the high crime rate of young offenders, the public have been in the forefront to condemn and to participate on how they can curb young crime and young offenders. The media has been in the forefront to condemn youth crimes and young offenders. Creation of awareness concerning criminal activities has been the discussion of the day in Australia since criminal cases have increased at an alarming rate. Due to criminal cases being in the media, the public tend to judge the youth with anger and finally ending in jail, which does not help rather it, makes the youth feel desperate and lower their self-esteem (Gates, 1997). Low self-esteem leads to the youth keeping on conducting criminal activities so that they can be behind the bars again since they are used to it. People feelings lead to harsh measures being introduced both in the legislative and among the society (Bateman, 2006). The legislature when establishing the laws and policies to deal with youth crimes and young offenders they follow Young Offenders Act that was passed in 1993. The policies and the laws are lenient to the young offenders and thus the public misconception that youth crimes are out of control in Australia. 2. Significance of the study The media is one of the key channels that are used by individuals to view and air social issues in the society. With this, it is one of the essential communication tools that have been reporting about the percentage of young people engaging in crime (Winterdyk, 2000). Since the public relies on media, so much they believe that most crimes are conducted by the youth and it has been increasing at alarming rate. According to Munice 2001, he states that negative discussion concerning the youth has increased, for example, the use of guns where they initiate robbery with violence, cases of drug peddling and homicide related offenses. The issues have been in the media now and then indicating that the general public only hears the negative side of the youth crimes and young offenders (Gelb, 2006). Due to media reporting the general public compares and contrast when the issues were not discussed in the media with the current events assuming that cases of youth crimes are increasing as time goes. Based on the past research that have been conducted public perception of youth crimes and young offenders were not rampant. Currently, the research conducted suggests that the general public perception of the same issues indicates that youth crimes are increasing. For example, in a survey that involved 300 participants indicated that 50 percent of participants listed youth crimes that are conducted by gangsters is a major problem in most of the towns in Australia. Youth violence is as a result of accessibility of guns and usage of hard drugs like heroin, cocaine and cannabis Sativa among others. An independent poll that was conducted by Non-Governmental Organization shows that consistently the number of youth crimes is increasing in Australia, and the situation is getting worse (Nayak, 2003). For example, the general public perception of youth crimes and young offenders shows that in 1990s the number of youth crime rate was 35 per cent. Comparing in 1995 youth crime increased from 35 per cent to 65 per cent that is an alarming rate that needs integrated measures that reduce youth crimes (Collins, 1992). The survey also listed that 80 per cent of Australia population stated that youth crimes have been increasing, and they are worse comparing by 1980s. Based on literature reviews that have been conducted the perception of people concerning youth crimes and young offenders are under research. People have been trying to carry research on public perception but so far little have been analyzed concerning youth crimes and young offenders (Cohen and Steen, 2003). Individuals who carry the research overestimate it regarding the criminal offenses, number of the young people who are associated with crime and the seriousness of the crime among others. The literature review suggests that the perception of the public concerning the criminal activities is not usually an experience of an individual, but the information is got from the third person who has experienced. It implies that the perception of the public is influenced by the media and law enforcing officers who exaggerate the criminal activities (Schissel, 2007). Based on research that has been conducted by Bateman (2006), the relationship of the young offenders and the perception of the people is not good. For example, negative perception is experienced in high crime areas comparing to low crime areas. This makes the reality concerning the youth crimes and young offenders to be exaggerated and vary from one location to the next. 3. Research question In the recent years, youth crimes and young offenders have been in the discussion by the public and lawmakers. On the other hand, the media has been in the forefront in creating awareness how the youth are engaging in criminal activities like terrorism and robbery with violence among others. The bad image that is created by the public, influences their perceptions and thus policies that are made by the government are shaped by the general public (Nacro, 2006). The literature review tries to answer the following two questions. (1) Is there any change in the recent years concerning youth crimes and young offenders? (2) Do public perceptions of youth crimes and young offenders correspond with the reality or actual offending among the youth or it is an exaggeration? 4. Research methodology The study used qualitative and quantitative research methodology where the questionnaire was used to interview the participants. The research study targeted 200 participants. To ensure that data was collected correctly free from errors validation exercise was conducted. The study was analyzed using the following demographics Age groups above 18 years Gender Household type The level of education Juvenile in household To attain qualitative information, concerning youth crimes and young offenders in-depth interview was conducted so that detailed feedback could be accomplished and get the required goals. The focus group was made of 50 respondents with equal gender. The criteria that were used to specify the group was that individual who are 18 and over and 30 years old and above was evenly distributed for the purpose of accuracy (Mooney and Young, 2006). To get proper comparative analysis individuals above 18 were evenly distributed by individuals above 30 years that indicated that respondent could not be viewed as young respondent. 5. Literature review data analysis The perception of the youth crime and young offenders is affected by the demographic factors like age, gender, household type among others. The research indicates that adult have little social contact with the youth between 10 to 16 years. For those few who engaged in social contact with the young people who have been involved in criminal offenses shows that they have negative views towards them and thus likely to condemn them directly instead of helping them. People are concerned in criminal activities in their society, but they tend to ignore youth crimes. It is the role of the parents to monitor their children so that any negative behavior of the child can be noticed as early as possible. In the survey conducted, the majority of the respondents (7%) supported that crime related issues were associated with intake of drugs. The urban dwellers were associated with youth crimes like vandalism, drugs peddling and robbery among others. 10 per cent of the respondent indicated that youth who were 18 to 20 years who engaged in criminal activities were jobless and thus involving themselves in the social issue. Despite the media sensitizing people on youth crimes and young offenders, the general public does not give it a priority on how to solve it rather than condemning the youth. It is a national issue, and the public should consider it as an important social factor that pegs the nation. Only 30 per cent of respondent admitted and believed that youth crime is an important social issue that is facing the country. In the survey 50 per cent of the respondent, especially women indicated that walking at night alone in their neighborhood was a threat to them, and thus they could wait others so that they could go as groups. In addition, to that they could not leave their home without a guard since many were breaking into their homes stealing everything that they could find. The data collected shows that there is no correlation between the actual offenses and the perceptions of the youth crime related issues. For examples, in areas where people are prone to high youth crime rates as compared to low crime rates the perception tend to be the same. Since individuals do not have direct experience of youth crimes, there is a mismatch between the realities and perceptions. The perceptions are as a result of media reporting and thus increasing the negative perceptions of the youth. When the reality increases the perception, also increases and thus they go hand in hand. The media is the communication tool that has led to the possible mismatch between the reality and the public perception of youth crimes and young offenders. This has made the relationship of the public to result in moral panics and deviant youth being condemned in the country. The majority of the respondent are misinformed about the social issue, and they concluded that mainstream media handles the misinformation (Gelsthorpe and Morris, 2002). The research study showed that 75 per cent of the respondent indicated that the number of youth crimes and young offenders has been increased, and the existing measures that are put in place to reduce youth crimes do not change it. A good number of the respondent indicated that 64 per cent of the information was from the media since they have been updating the information whenever a crime is conducted. Method Research design The study is an exploratory research that has been conducted using the qualitative methodology in combination with a semi-structured interview (Newbury, 2008). Family matters are part of the research that have been done since the social problem starts at homes so that the primary factor that leads to youth crimes and young offenders can be established. Additionally, the family court context should be aware of the youth crimes and young offenders based on the fact that they should monitor them. Paradigm and assumptions The research is based on the family system where it is interconnected together to help one of the members in case of problems. In case, one of the members is experiencing the social problem like intake of drugs, youth crimes among others it affects the entire family. The psychological equity theory can be used in the family court process since individuals like to be treated equally. Whenever one is not considered as part and parcel of the family, it implies that he or she will associate him or herself with other peers (Hicks and Lawrence, 2004). This contributes to peer pressure and thus engaging in youth crimes among other social issues. The psychological equity theory explains how individuals in the family system can equally share ideas affecting them and thus equitable relationship. Sample A sample involving 12 participants was introduced. The participants were taken randomly depending on the first come first served basis. Notices were put in the shopping center for the purpose of recruiting the participants (Appendix A). All the participants were above 18 years of age who have been a relationship. The entire sample comprised of eight females and four males. They were 26 to 50 years old (M=36), and they have been in the relationship for 2 to 17 years (M=8). The participants are local people, and thus they volunteered, and they were never rewarded for the participation. Data collection procedures The location that the interview was to be conducted was in the notices in the shopping center. The information was provided in the sheets (Appendix B) and the consent form (Appendix C). The interview was recorded on the tape recorder, and thus participants were supposed to be aware of the recording. Demographic questionnaire (Appendix D) had to be completed, and open-ended questions were used in the interview and more explanation was required. When the interview was commencing, the participant was notified for accuracy and transparency (West, 2004). For example, one of open-ended question that participants were asked was “what do you understand with family court? Tell me more about it; is it good for you? The interview schedule is in Appendix E Ethics The interview was conducted in a conducive environment. Confidentiality was emphasized where they were allowed not to mention their real names although they were supposed to sign the consent form that required legal identity. The participants were further directed that they could withdraw at any point but just notifying the interviewer (Morrow, 2008). The data was to be stored for only five years and destruction of the same could be done depending on participant’s inquiry if experiencing psychological distress. Participants were made aware of the significance of participation, and they were appreciated for the participation. Data analysis For the purpose of accuracy, the interviews were stored and maintained well. Ordered matrix (in Appendix F) was constructed with columns and rows. The coded participant’s information was in the rows and columns where the response and their comments were indicated clearly (Smandych, 2008). The participant’s response and the researcher’s interpretations are accurately kept for the purpose of consistency and soundness findings for the future study. Any bias was acknowledged since explanations were provided by the participants, and later the researcher interpretation followed. The independent researcher was available so that response could be analyzed and thus ensuring reliability of the research (McDonald, 1995). The third researcher was still available to ensure that percentage agreement measure was obtained. The third researcher came up with an 82% agreement rate measure. The participants were contacted later to verify that they understood all the themes and other statements in the interview. Findings and interpretations Young individuals tend to experience challenges while they are dealing with others, and it is important to note that engaging in gangsters to solve their problems or solve certain issues is not recommendable. Legal processes have been established to deal with young individuals and thus if the case gets out of the parents legal policies can be more effective (Green, 2006). Breaking of laws even if one is a young person implies that one can be jailed and excluded from his loved one that creates loneliness and misery to the entire family. Mainstream media In the literature review media is considered as tool that air exaggerated information concerning the youth crimes and young offenders. The actual information concerning the youth crimes is not given where the general public is misinformed and thus coming up with measures that make the situation worse. The public perceptions of youth crimes are negative where the community will even go to an extent of taking the issue in their hands. This may result in killings without considering what the young offenders have been experiencing before engaging in crime (Goldson, 2000). The youth are part and parcel of the society and thus they are supposed to be natured since they are the future leaders. The media on the other hand should report first-hand information that they have experience on but should not depend on rumors. The general public Discussions concerning the young offenders make them feel that they are not part of the society. It is the role of the general public to monitor them rather than criticizing them. The public should act as if they are the parents of the victims and thus counseling and rehabilitation should be done. Rehabilitation of the youth is allowed since many of the young offenders use drugs when engaging in social issues like crimes (Goldson and Muncie, 2012). Caretakers should willingly contribute and ensure that the youth are free from drug usage by engaging them in creative activities. Limitations The general public does not consider youth crimes and young offenders as an important social issue. They are concerned with the security issues, but they do not address how they can reduce or help youth who engage in criminal activities. The second limitation of the study shows that young offenders are taken to jail instead of opening rehabilitation centers that can offer counseling services to the culprits. Taking the young offenders to jail does not solve problems rather a young individual will get experience on how jail life is and thus they will never change for the better. Directions for the future research I recommend setting of rehabilitation centers that will be used as the center for counseling in Australia. Rehabilitation centers provide encouragement to the youth who are addicted to drugs. Skills that are important in one life are taught and thus likely to change for the better (Tanner, 2001). I recommend the youth to be educated so that they can engage in nation building rather than associating themselves with criminal activities. The use of guns should be monitored, and restriction made so that gangsters can be reduced since many of youth engage in robbery based on the fact that they can access guns easily (Tonry, 2007). I recommend community involvement to ensure that they can deal with the social media once and for all. Conclusion It is the role of the society to ensure that they are concerned with youth affairs. Employment should be provided to the youth to make sure that they are not idle. Thoughtful and effective measures should be established to ensure that the young offenders are helped since in one time or another they may conflict with the law. Close monitoring of the youth by their parents and the society at large should be incorporated so that youth crimes are reduced significantly. The media should not rely on individuals to give criminal activities, but they should air first-hand information that they are aware of, and they have an experience to. 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