...Annotated Bibliography: What the Literature Says About Juvenile Sex Offenders The following articles, factsheets, and studies have been compiled to assist attorneys and individuals working on behalf of youth charged with sexual offending. The information contained in these resources aim to help others realize the fundamental differences between adult sex offenders and juvenile sex offenders, which include positive responses of juveniles to treatment, low recidivism rates of juveniles and negative impact of registries on youth development. It is our hope that this information will be used to improve legal outcomes for juvenile sex offenders, and uphold the purpose of the juvenile justice system as a rehabilitative, not punitive, system. PUBLICATIONS BY TOPIC Recidivism Rates/Amenability to Treatment Judith V. Becker, What We Know About the Characteristics and Treatment of Adolescents Who have Committed Sexual Offenses, 3 CHILD MALTREATMENT 317, (1998). The author states that comprehensive data does not exist to support the notion that if adolescents commit one sexual offense, they will go on to develop a pattern of sexual-offending behaviors or develop a psychosocial disorder. Michael F. Caldwell et al., An Examination of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act as Applied to Juveniles: Evaluating the Ability to Predict Sexual Recidivism, 14 PSYCHOLOGY, PUBLIC POLICY AND LAW 89, (2008). This study compared 91 juvenile males who had been treated in a secure correctional...
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...Catanduanes State University Laboratory Schools Virac, Catanduanes SY 2014-2015 Drug Addiction/Drug Usage Lyri Kirsten Anicken T. Gianan Grade 9 – Platinum Mr. Eddie Cabrera February 11, 2015 Report on the Enforcement of the Prohibition Laws of the United States by the National Commission on Law Observance and Enforcement (Wickersham Commission Report on Alcohol Prohibition) I have signed the report of the Commission, although as is probably inevitable when eleven people of different antecedents and temperaments endeavor to agree upon a contentious subject, it is more or less of a compromise of varying opinions. In so far as it states facts, I believe it to be generally accurate. Every effort has been made to make it so. I should have preferred to have it state more facts and fewer broad generalizations from unstated facts. But the difficulties in securing accurate statistics, owing to the unsystematic and unscientific manner in which they are commonly kept in this country, often makes it impossible to get reliable statements of fact, although there may be sufficient available information to afford a fairly reliable basis of generalization. I am in entire accord with the conclusions "that enforcement of the National Prohibition Act made a bad start which has affected enforcement ever since"; that "it was not until after the Senatorial investigation of 1926 had opened people's eyes to the extent of law breaking and corruption that serious efforts were made" to coordinate "the...
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...Juvenile Delinquency Juvenile delinquency has been on the decline in recent years. The study of the variables, and distinction between the adult and juvenile systems, has helped in the decline. Delinquency is a criminal behavior that is committed by a juvenile. Depending on where in the United States the juvenile lives, they will be considered an adult between the ages of 16 to 18. This age has been lowered for serious crimes like murder. In those cases, juveniles have been tried as adults in court. Delinquency refers to conduct that does not conform to legal or moral standards of society; it usually applies only to acts that, if performed by an adult, would be termed criminal (“Encyclopedia Britannica”, 2013). This helps to distinguish delinquency from a status offense. Status offense is a word used in the United States to describe acts that when committed by a juvenile are illegal, but not when an adult does it is legal. These offenses are considered to be a violation because the individual is...
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...The False Promises of the Juvenile Justice System One of the most controversial topics in America concerns the justice system and its policies. Under this category is the juvenile justice system which deals with delinquent children and rare cases of serious juvenile offenders. According to the Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), the justice system promises to make juvenile contact with the system “rare, fair, and beneficial.” It also states that its goal is to use “effective and coordinated prevention and intervention programs.” The statement ends with a pledge to assist juveniles by providing the “necessary treatment and rehabilitative services.” Many people have their own sentiments regarding how the justice system...
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...Running head: Juvenile Reentry Juvenile Reentry Making an Effective Transition Jodi Calvert Capella University PSF 5372 – History of the Juvenile Criminal Justice System Abstract This paper explores the transformation of the Juvenile Justice System over the past century and how it impacts today’s youth. Juvenile delinquency has become a well-known phenomenon as youth have taken experimentation and violence to a new level. More adolescents are being diagnosed with medical disorders while many find themselves not having the means to access the proper treatment. Family and moral standards are not as they were a century ago and the economic strain of today can make it difficult for children to develop the necessary skills to transition through their developmental stages. Chaos, confusion and loss of identity play a significant role in many of the adolescents that find themselves in contact with the Juvenile Justice System. New interventions for these adolescents are greatly needed to improve not only their own well being, but to create a prosperous community. Juvenile Reentry Juveniles are released from institutions across the country everyday, but many do not have the knowledge required to make permanent changes for themselves, their families, and their communities. The first Juvenile Court in the United States was established in Cook County, Illinois in 1899 and within 25 years all but two states had established separate juvenile justice systems...
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...Abstract This study was concerned with juvenile diversion programs in the State of Texas and whether they work in reducing recidivism rates among offenders of both minor crimes as well as serious crimes. The study looked at four different treatment programs and the services provided by each. All juveniles were referred to the diversion programs following a preliminary hearing within the court system. This project ran from January 2017 until December 2017, during which time 562 youth were referred. The recidivism rates for each program type were calculated 24 weeks post diversion program through self-administered surveys as well as a review of court cases and a statewide warrant check. I. Introduction The juvenile justice system was created...
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...ONE OF THE NATION’S LEADING INNOVATORS IN DELIVERING EVIDENCE-BASED SOLUTIONS FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND HUMAN SERVICES TURNING LIVES 1 Yolo County, CA: EBP brings measureable, positive outcomes 2 King County, WA builds new system for Mental Health RX: the PRIME 4 Assessments.com selected to direct $1.2M statewide juvenile project in CA 4 News in Brief 5 Spotlight on ADC staff: Brian Richart is new ADC President 6 EBP – Recent Research: Exploring the Black Box of Community Supervision 8 Upcoming Events Winter 2010 | QUArterLY neWSLetter CURRENT NEWS AND trenDS AROUND supervision, and accurately and objectively identified higher risk juveniles who most need and can most benefit from rehabilitative treatment. Monthly statistics tell the story. In April 2007, the department was managing a caseload of 400 juveniles with a staff of 10 supervising field officers and an outpatient treatment budget of $120,000. Today, the total caseload is down to about 280, as the department has done a better job keeping very low risk youth out of the system altogether. Of those youth who do enter the system, some 150 low risk youth are supervised by 1 1/2 officers with diversion programs and minimal supervision, while the remaining officers are managing the 130 moderate to high risk juveniles (a 38% reduction in individual case load size) and providing individualized treatment through programs such as FFT (Functional Family Therapy) and T4C (Thinking for a Change)– cognitive behavioral programs...
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...the Juvenile Justice System is to explore the effectiveness of new or alternative juvenile justice programs that are implemented in the United States in order to reduce recidivism for youth offenders. Recidivism is a concept in Criminal Justice. It refers to a person's relapse into criminal behavior, often after the person receives sanctions or undergoes intervention for a previous crime. Recidivism is measured by criminal acts that resulted in rearrest, reconviction or return to prison with or without a new sentence during a three-year period following the prisoner's release. While incarcerated, these individuals should be provided the necessary tools and skills to help them remain out of...
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...Restorative Justice and Juvenile Courts Denise Gladden CRJS-450-1402A-01: Advanced Topics in Corrections April 12, 2014 Abstract This paper provides a brief overview of two different juvenile programs, aftercare and institutions. It provides contrasting differences between the treatment received by juveniles in housed institutions and community aftercare programs, and there effects on recidivism. The effectiveness or ineffectiveness of both programs, in treating and rehabilitating juvenile delinquents is also discussed. Restorative Justice and Juvenile Courts Restorative justice refers to repairing the harm caused or revealed by criminal behavior. This is best accomplished through a cooperative process which includes all stakeholders (Restorative Justice, n.d.). The Intensive Aftercare Program is an intensive community-based research, and seeks to reduce recidivism among high-risk parolees by better preparing them for release back into the community. This program model is data driven research that show that a highly structured and enhanced transition from incarceration to the community can be beneficial to the parolees in areas of family and peer relations, education, jobs, substance abuse, mental health and recidivism without having a negative impact on the community. A valuable component of the Colorado’s Intensive Aftercare Program is the requirement that both surveillance and treatment services be provided. It has been determined to be relevant to success...
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...Minors and Violent Crimes ENG 215 August 27, 2014 Minors and Violent Crimes Juvenile crime has been a national crisis for quite some time. Research from 2010 showed that there were approximately 225 arrests for violent crime offences for every 100,000 youth between the ages of 10 and 17. The violent crimes committed by juveniles has been reported to be at its highest during the after school hours. Research has also shown that approximately 8% of all homicides in the U.S. were committed by juvenile offenders (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention). These alarming statistics prove that minors should be held accountable and be tried as adults in the judicial system. Some may argue that minors have a better chance of being rehabilitated but at the same time minors could become “career criminals”. Steinberg (2001) remarks with the following: Variability among individuals older than 12, but younger than 16, requires that some sort of individualized assessment of an offender's competence to stand trial, blameworthiness, and likely amenability to treatment be made before reaching a transfer decision. The U.S. judicial system should treat minors who commit violent crimes as adults to enforce accountability, to prevent repeat offenders, and to deter others. Factoring Accountability Holding teens accountable for the violent crimes they commit by punishing them as an adult is a social complexity but it is incumbent. Some may view a minor being tried...
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...Future of the Juvenile Justice System Proposal Gina Tompkins, Marcus Hall, Terri Washington, Victor Jones CJA 374 November 24, 2013 Bruce Clingan Future of the Juvenile Justice System Proposal The juvenile justice system is designed to correct and change the behavior of juvenile offenders. Change in behavior is an indication the system is working. If there is no change, the system is deemed ineffective and a team of juvenile justice consultants are called in to make corrections. In reality, this team is composed of four state officials whose sole purpose is to develop a proposal to present to the state legislature for recommendations of adjustments to the juvenile justice system. This team of consultants is creating these recommendations including all aspects of community, law enforcement, courts, corrections, and the private sector or privatization involvement. The community should be involved in the future of the juvenile justice system along with funding, awareness, and assistance from the state. Characteristics of the Golden Program and the Reclaiming Futures Program The recommendation to the state legislature is to improve the juvenile justice system by introducing proven ways of enhancing community involvement through community-based programs such as the Golden Program and the Reclaiming Futures Program. One proven way to improve effectiveness according to Nissen (2007), is a program named Golden (the integrated care network) that involves court personnel...
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...Final Final As we look at the juvenile justice system today, it is very different from what it once was. Juveniles today have more access to technology and other forms of electronic gadgets that have allowed them to become delinquents. Many more juveniles are committing the same type of crimes as before, but within gangs or with other juveniles. So instead of giving the juvenile some type of a “slap” on the wrist punishment that many have not learned from, the evidence has shown new ways of reinforcement approaches have worked. There are ways of dealing with young offenders that are more effective and less costly than prosecuting them as adults and imposing harsh sentences. With the "get tough" reforms from different states and legislation, many juveniles have spent a historic time in adult prisons. Now, widespread legislations are attempting to change the requirements for transferring young offenders from juvenile courts to adult criminal courts, where mandatory minimum sentences and other factors make incarceration more likely. Although many criminal juvenile courts dismiss and overlook the fact that these are juveniles, regardless of the crime committed, youth are not similar to adults in ways important to determining responsibility, such as having an under-developed ability to understand the consequences of their actions. Many juveniles are overlooked at the disabilities they may have, such as ADHD, slow learning abilities or other mental setbacks. ...
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...OVERVIEW OF THE ORGANIZATION The Harris County Juvenile Probation Department is committed to the protection of the public, utilizing intervention strategies that are community-based, family-oriented and least restrictive while emphasizing responsibility and accountability of both parent and child. As part of our core values we value the belief that everyone is to be treated with dignity and respect. We believe that each person has innate worth, dignity and capacity for positive change. We value services that are ethical, effective and culturally competent. We hold high and promote a positive image of the department, the employees and our role within the community. We take pride in an environment that promotes initiative, productivity, teamwork and professional growth. We uphold to an atmosphere which stresses tolerance and is free of discrimination. We strive in developing collaborative efforts with judicial, legislative and community partners. The Harris County Juvenile Probation Department operates a Leadership Academy, a Detention Center, a secure residential treatment center and a non-secure residential treatment center. ( hcjpd. Org, 2009). The Texas Family Code, Chapter 58 requires that agencies in Texas report juvenile criminal history to the Department of Public Safety in Austin beginning January 1, 1996. The Harris County Juvenile Probation Department is committed to the protection of the public, utilizing intervention strategies that are community-based, family-oriented...
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...Multiple studies show that the best predictor for delinquent behavior in the future is delinquent behavior in the past. The youth continue their delinquency with no guide to change their delinquent behaviors. A study conducted by Abram et Al. followed approximately 2000 juveniles for an interview after serving three years in a detention center. The interview uses a child and adolescent function scale to determine what area the juvenile would need the most attention. Reports form the surveys identified that at least 30% of those juveniles were impaired in many areas. This can mean that they are likely to keep committing crime since the needs are not addressed or they will become adult offenders. These individuals are in need of interventions...
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...Juvenile Rehabilitation Shelly Stanko CJS/240 February 26, 2012 Farrell Binder Juvenile Rehabilitation In the previous few decades, the United States justice policy has become more punitive. In particular, in the 1990s legislatures all over the county passed laws under which an increasing number of young people can be charged in criminal courts and incarcerated in adult prisons. Certainly, in nearly every state today, youths between 13 and 14 can be prosecuted and penalized as adults for an array of crimes including non-violent offenses (Kristin, 2009). Punishments have become more severe even in the juvenile system. Generally, it is believed that the rising anxiety among citizens concerning the threat of juvenile crime has propelled this tendency and that members of the public favor this legislative tendency toward severe punishment. However, it is unclear whether this opinion about the right solutions to youth crime is precise. On the other hand, different surveys have found the public favors tougher policies regarding youth crime and punishing juveniles as severely as adults. However, a thorough review of sources of information about public views indicates that the perception that the public favors punishment for youths is largely based on either opinion surveys that pose few simplistic questions or publicized crimes like school shootings. It is possible that analysis of public views...
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