Discussion question 6.2

Learning Resources

Please read and view (where applicable) the following Learning Resources before you complete this week’s assignments.

Readings

Course Text: Juvenile Delinquency

·          

Chapter 7, “Gender and Delinquency”

o     

“Gender Ratio in Offending”

“Social Content of Delinquency: Gender Roles and Delinquency”

• “Explanations of Female Delinquency”
• “Gender Bias and the Processing of Female Delinquents”

o    Chapter 10, “Gangs and Delinquency”

o    Chapter 11, “Drugs and Delinquency” (Review from Week 5)

o    Chapter 12, ” Juvenile Justice Process”

o     

• “The Juvenile Justice System Today” (Review from Week 4)
• “What works for Whom and in What Context”
• “Graduated Sanctions in Juvenile Justice”
• “Trends for the Future”

o    Chapter 14, “Juvenile Court”

Media

·         Interactive Module: “The Future of Juvenile Justice,” Copyright (2008) by Pearson Learning Solutions. Used with the permission of Pearson Education. Boston, MA.
http://media.pearsoncmg.com/pcp/pls/pls_mycoursetools/fufillment/mct_94735_laureate/future_juv_jus/default.htm

Optional Resources

Readings

·         Article: Doughty, S. (2009, March 19). Could your child be in a gang? Evidence suggests more youngsters across the UK are joining gang. A move which could lead them into illegal and dangerous activities. Reporter SOPHIE DOUGHTY reports on the situation in the North East and what’s being done to help. Evening Chronicle, 6.
Use the ProQuest Central database, and search using the article’s Document ID: 1663787491.

·         Article: Heartbreak ‘grooming’ tactics of the gangs; Teenager’s four months of rape, abuse and beatings: [North Edition]. (2007, March 8). Daily Record , 33.
Use the ProQuest Central database, and search using the article’s Document ID: 1229549611.

Websites

·         Website: Carlie, M. K. (2002). Into the abyss: A personal journey into the world of street gangs. Retrieved July 04, 2009, from http://people.missouristate.edu/MichaelCarlie/default.htm
This Web site provides findings based on years of gang-related field research, as well as an excellent and comprehensive collection of reference and related resources.

·         Website: National Gang Crime Research Center (NGCRC).
http://www.ngcrc.com/
This is the official Web site of NGCRC, which carries out research on gangs and gang members, disseminates information through publications and reports, and provides training and consulting services.

·         Website: Institute for Intergovernmental Research. National Gang Center (NGC).
http://www.iir.com/home/WhatWeDo/Gang_Initiatives/NGC
This Web site provides information on the growth and proliferation of gang activity in the United States.

Juvenile Offenders and the Juvenile Justice System

For the first Discussion this week, you examined how societal changes might influence today’s juveniles and contribute to juvenile delinquency. Building on this, you now focus on how the current juvenile justice system must change to accommodate today’s juvenile offenders. In doing so, consider such questions as: How will the juvenile justice system accommodate an increasingly diverse group of juvenile offenders? How will the juvenile justice system address juvenile offenders involved in gangs and gang violence? How will the juvenile justice system help offenders with drug addictions?

To prepare for this Discussion:

• Review the assigned pages in Chapter 7 of the course text, Juvenile Delinquency. Focus on the proliferation of juvenile delinquency among females.

• Review Chapter 10 of the course text, Juvenile Delinquency , and focus on the proliferation of juvenile involvement in gangs.

• Reflect on your first Discussion from this week. Consider how societal changes might influence juveniles and contribute to juvenile delinquency. With these thoughts in mind, consider the unique characteristics of today’s juvenile offenders as well as issues and considerations they might encounter.

• Review the assigned pages from Chapter 12 of the course text, Juvenile Delinquency. Focus on the current juvenile justice system, emerging approaches for addressing juvenile offenders, and trends for the future.

• Consider how the juvenile justice system must change to accommodate today’s juvenile offenders.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post an explanation of how the juvenile justice system must change to accommodate today’s juvenile offenders. Be specific and use examples to illustrate your explanation.