Law Paper

Learning Resources

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

Readings

• Review Course Preview and read Course Introduction (located in the left navigation bar)

• Course Text:Schmalleger, F., Bartollas, C. (2014). Juvenile delinquency. (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

• Chapter 1, “Adolescence and Delinquency”

Media

• Interactive Module: “Historical Treatment of Children and Juvenile Justice System,” 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/hist_treatment/index.html

Optional Resources

• Websites

• Website: U.S. Department of Justice. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
  http://www.ojjdp.gov/
  This Web site provides national leadership and resources to prevent and respond to juvenile delinquency and victimization.

• Website: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Healthy Youth! YRBSS: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System.
  http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/yrbs/index.htm
  This Web site provides survey information on health-risk behaviors prevalent among youth and young adults. The YRBSS includes a national school-based survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state, territorial, tribal, and local surveys conducted by state, territorial, and local education and health agencies and tribal governments.

• Snyder, H. N., & Sickmund, M. (2006). Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 2006 National Report [PDF]. Graphs from Chapter 1: Juvenile population characteristics. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention .
  http://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/nr2006/downloads/NR2006.pdf
  This PDF provides a brief overview of some of the more commonly requested demographic, economic, and sociological statistics on juveniles.

Application: The Categorization of Juvenile Offenders

The contemporary juvenile justice system categorizes juvenile offenders into two broad categories: juvenile delinquents and status offenders. Juvenile offenders are placed into either of these two categories based on the state or jurisdiction’s definition of delinquency and on the type of offense committed. It is important to be aware of these categories of juvenile offenders as well as how they are applied because categorization ultimately affects how the juvenile justice system responds to and, in turn, treats juvenile offenders.

To prepare for this assignment:

• Review Chapter 1 in the course text, Juvenile Delinquency. Pay particular attention to how juvenile offenders are defined and categorized.
• Think about the similarities and differences between status offender and juvenile delinquent categories.
• Consider how the categorization of juvenile offenders influences the response from the juvenile justice system.

The assignment (1–2 pages):

• Compare (similarities and differences) status offender and juvenile delinquent categories of juvenile offenders.
• Explain how categorizing influences the juvenile justice system’s response to juvenile offenders. Be specific and use examples to support your explanation.
• Explain at least one insight you had or conclusion you drew about categorizing juvenile offenders as a result of completing this assignment.

Support your Application Assignment with specific references to all resources used in its preparation. You are asked to provide a reference list only for those resources not included in the Learning Resources for this course.