I, Yolanda E. Frelow would like to submit my draft of recommendations on how to address and resolve youth crime within our communities. The feasibility of my proposed solutions is backed by my previous research on this issue. The solutions can be complex due to many young offenders with no prior criminal history are committing serious offenses and their network through social media and mutual friends, but with combined efforts with the youth, their families, law enforcement and the communities the goal of reducing youth crime can be achieved.
Many education programs have assisted families and children by offering and providing them important information. Some programs inform parents about how to raise healthy children and how to express the importance of school attendance to their children. These programs provide youth with the awareness that their negative actions have consequences. Educational programs have the intent of encouraging hope and positive opportunities for youth
Functional Family Therapy is a family-based prevention and intervention program for dysfunctional youth and their families. This program can also be used as an evidence-based practice. The program focuses on youth who are justice-involved or at risk for delinquency, violence, substance abuse or other behavioral problems. Program participants have had a statistically decrease in recidivism. Low income is not the sole variable of juvenile crime due to socioeconomic factors, but it is one of several complex factors associated with low income, bad housing, slum neighborhoods, presence of gang activity and low community organization. A complete program of juvenile crime prevention should include, assured family income to provide for a minimum American standard of living, abolishment of slum housing and implementation of neighborhood organization to assist the community with proper welfare and prevention programs (Burgess).
Youths who commit crime can do so as the result of Social Disorganization Theory. Social Disorganization Theory was founded by two researchers from the Chicago School of Criminology, Clifford Shaw and Henry McKay. The Theory of Social Disorganization refers to where a person resides is a substantial factor in a person becoming involved in illegal activities. The theory suggests that juveniles that reside in disadvantaged neighborhoods, participate in more cases of criminality. Shaw and McKay also noted that in addition to disadvantaged neighborhoods possessing lack of adequate behavior and socially disorganized communities, they passed these traits on to future generations (Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services).
Cost-effective program options, known as community-based alternatives, have already been developed and tested that have positive outcomes that serve the youth safely in the community instead of incarcerating them in jail-like facilities. Many practitioners see diversion as part of the community-based alternatives continuum. There are different approaches, but the main approach is early intervention that is known to divert youth from the front door of the justice system (jijie.org). If this type of program can be implemented within the lower-class communities, then we will see a decrease in youth crime. Possible places to house the program could be, community centers, after school activities and neighborhood churches. We can use neighborhood townhall meetings, door to door, and school administrators as methods to deliver information about the programs to youths, their families and the community.
Modern juvenile assessment instruments consider not only the risk of them reoffending, but also attempts to identify the needs of the adolescent that might be addressed with interventions. Most risk/needs instruments have factors to consider in preventing a youth from reoffending. Some factors to be considered are prior offending history, family history of criminality, school performance, current peer associations, and antisocial attitudes. Based on the youth’s results, it will decide if a youth needs more services (NAP 2013).
Reference
U.S. Department of Justice National Institute of Justice (2011) Annual Report pg. 18 nij.gov
Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services.
Burgess, A. (2016) Victimology Theories and Application. Pg.75 3rd Edition.
National Academics Press (2013). Reforming Juvenile Justice: A Developmental Approach
Chapter 6 Preventing Reoffending pg 139.
Youth.Gov Juvenile Justice Prevention and Early Intervention
