This document discusses youth who are considered "at-risk" and the factors that contribute to being at-risk. It defines what at-risk means and identifies behaviors, school policies, current trends, and trauma that can make youth at-risk. Predictors of delinquency are discussed for different age groups. Key protective factors are also mentioned. Statistics are provided on graduation and suspension rates as well as living arrangements and poverty rates for youth. Gang involvement, teen pregnancy, substance abuse trends, and crime rates are examined in relation to at-risk youth. The link between abuse, trauma, and criminal or at-risk behavior is explored.
Jess Alder (Program Director, Start Strong, Boston Public Health Commission), Nicole Daley (Director of Evaluation and Engagement, One Love Foundation), and Emily F. Rothman, ScD (Professor, Boston University School of Public Health) delved into the topic of whether porn use is a public health problem and highlighted a curriculum they developed for teens to discuss porn, healthy relationships, and sexual violence.
Get your quality homework help now and stand out.Our professional writers are committed to excellence. We have trained the best scholars in different fields of study.Contact us now at premiumessays.net and place your order at affordable price done within set deadlines.We always have someone online ready to answer all your queries and take your requests.
Very few of us know that 73% of the rape victims know the rapists. Moreover, 40% of rapes happen at victim’s home and 20% occur in the homes of familiar people.
It turned out that most of us have no idea about the effective precautions needed to protect ourselves from the traumatic experience, because we expect danger from a wrong source. A widespread belief is that one should expect a rapist to sit in the bushes in the park late at night, while the reality is different.
My colleague Paulina Grzelak and I were astonished while exploring this topic, as we were quite oblivious to the real situation as well. Therefore, we decided to make a small questionnaire and ask people what they think about rape.
This presentation begins with the analysis of what makes a person become a rapist, which is followed by the comparison of the results of the questionnaire with real data.
I would be grateful if you shared this presentation as many people need this knowledge.
I also want to add that most figures we present come from the States where definition of rape and social situation may differ from ours. Hence, comparing data from the U.S. with opinions from Poland and Ukraine may seem improper. For instance, being forced into sexual contact by husband may not even be recognized as rape in Ukraine, “because it’s his natural right”. And even if a wife admits this fact, social welfare system (which does not exist here, let’s face it) leaves her no option apart from remaining silent, while in the U.S. rape victims are less dependent on family members. Therefore, one has to approach the statistics carefully. Still, we believe that using American data can be justified by the fact that they explore the subject more than any other country.
Jess Alder (Program Director, Start Strong, Boston Public Health Commission), Nicole Daley (Director of Evaluation and Engagement, One Love Foundation), and Emily F. Rothman, ScD (Professor, Boston University School of Public Health) delved into the topic of whether porn use is a public health problem and highlighted a curriculum they developed for teens to discuss porn, healthy relationships, and sexual violence.
Get your quality homework help now and stand out.Our professional writers are committed to excellence. We have trained the best scholars in different fields of study.Contact us now at premiumessays.net and place your order at affordable price done within set deadlines.We always have someone online ready to answer all your queries and take your requests.
Very few of us know that 73% of the rape victims know the rapists. Moreover, 40% of rapes happen at victim’s home and 20% occur in the homes of familiar people.
It turned out that most of us have no idea about the effective precautions needed to protect ourselves from the traumatic experience, because we expect danger from a wrong source. A widespread belief is that one should expect a rapist to sit in the bushes in the park late at night, while the reality is different.
My colleague Paulina Grzelak and I were astonished while exploring this topic, as we were quite oblivious to the real situation as well. Therefore, we decided to make a small questionnaire and ask people what they think about rape.
This presentation begins with the analysis of what makes a person become a rapist, which is followed by the comparison of the results of the questionnaire with real data.
I would be grateful if you shared this presentation as many people need this knowledge.
I also want to add that most figures we present come from the States where definition of rape and social situation may differ from ours. Hence, comparing data from the U.S. with opinions from Poland and Ukraine may seem improper. For instance, being forced into sexual contact by husband may not even be recognized as rape in Ukraine, “because it’s his natural right”. And even if a wife admits this fact, social welfare system (which does not exist here, let’s face it) leaves her no option apart from remaining silent, while in the U.S. rape victims are less dependent on family members. Therefore, one has to approach the statistics carefully. Still, we believe that using American data can be justified by the fact that they explore the subject more than any other country.
This article co-written by Dr. Robert J. Winn which aims to quantify the number of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Philadelphia who report to be victims of domestic violence.
Everybody has heard about domestic violence. But do you know how common it is? Who is most affected? And whether we are making progress in the national effort to curb partner abuse?
FACT: Over 250 scholarly studies demonstrate that women are as physically aggressive, or more aggressive, than men in their relationships with their spouses or male partners
Reports of hate crimes and violence against Asian Americans have made headlines across the United States in the past year, prompting calls to increase the community’s visibility to combat negative stereotypes and misconceptions.
But large data gaps exist about Asians and their experiences in America. Why are those stories missing? And what can the research community do to bring them to light?
The Pew Research Center and a panel of distinguished experts for a look at recent research on Asian Americans as they explore how to close those data gaps and how better data can serve policymakers, the press, and advocates.
This article co-written by Dr. Robert J. Winn which aims to quantify the number of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Philadelphia who report to be victims of domestic violence.
Everybody has heard about domestic violence. But do you know how common it is? Who is most affected? And whether we are making progress in the national effort to curb partner abuse?
FACT: Over 250 scholarly studies demonstrate that women are as physically aggressive, or more aggressive, than men in their relationships with their spouses or male partners
Reports of hate crimes and violence against Asian Americans have made headlines across the United States in the past year, prompting calls to increase the community’s visibility to combat negative stereotypes and misconceptions.
But large data gaps exist about Asians and their experiences in America. Why are those stories missing? And what can the research community do to bring them to light?
The Pew Research Center and a panel of distinguished experts for a look at recent research on Asian Americans as they explore how to close those data gaps and how better data can serve policymakers, the press, and advocates.
Risk management in simple terms with some humorKumar Kolaganti
Risk Management is serious work and the terminology used is very complicated. It takes time to understand the concepts and put them to work as a project management practitioner. Thinking of Risk managements makes me remember two old sayings "'A stitch in time saves nine', and 'An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure'."
In line with this subtle humor, this presentation is an effort to explain risk management terminology in simple terms with some humor. Some may say that this is a spoof on project risk management.
Laugh, Smile and Enjoy.
Some consider humor to be the Holy Grail of public speaking. The old adage, ‘Always start with a joke’, endures like no other. Behind this is the idea that a well-timed gag will win over any audience and open them up to your message. But the role of comedy in public speaking is far more complex and subtle than this phrase would have you believe.
For any person who must speak in public or private, to business or pleasure groups, humor is an invaluable indispensable tool for getting your message across.
Running head DRUG ABUSE AND ADDICTION1DRUG ABUSE AND ADDICTION.docxjeanettehully
Running head: DRUG ABUSE AND ADDICTION 1
DRUG ABUSE AND ADDICTION 6
Drug Abuse and Addiction
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Public Safety Issue: Drug Abuse and Addiction
Public safety issue refers to any problem which threatens the wellbeing of people and prosperity of communities. A solution to such challenges is crucial in order to ensure that safety of people is protected and safeguarded. The issue of drug abuse and concern among school going teenagers has become a major problem in United States. According to a survey conducted by Monitoring the Future (MTF), on average, 29 percent of the school kids between grades 8, 10, and 12 were found to be using drugs. This has raised a major concern that requires the government to work closely with relevant public safety organizations in order to contain this issue.
Research Topic: The Importance of Introducing Drug Abuse Unit in The Curriculum of the American Education System
Overview
According to findings of Monitoring the Future survey released in 2018, there is a significant increase in number of school going youths engaging in drug abuse activities. Marijuana, opioid abuse, alcohol, synthetic drugs, tobacco, and nicotine are among the top drugs and substances abused by teenagers and school going kids. These statistics are alarming since they present one of the major challenge to the wellbeing and prosperity of the future generation. Many anti-drug abuse and addiction organizations such as National Institutes on Health (NIH), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) have been working relentlessly to curb this rising level of drug abuse and addiction among teenagers. Despite all the efforts by these organizations, their programs have failed to achieve any substantial success as far the fight against drug abuse and addiction among teenagers is concerned. This research is aimed at exploring the relevant literature from books, peer-reviewed journals, publications, and other academic effort in the effort to present the dire need to integrate drug abuse into the curriculum of the American education system. The findings of the research will be a boost to the government and other public safety organizations in the fight against drug abuse and addiction among teenagers and school going youths.
Annotated Bibliography
Duncan, D. T., Palamar, J. J., & Williams, J. H. (2014). Perceived neighborhood illicit drug selling, peer illicit drug disapproval and illicit drug use among US high school seniors. Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy, 9(1), 35.
The paper explores the problem of marijuana use among the students in U.S. high schools. Notably, more than 45.5 percent of the respondents revealed that they have used marijuana once on their lifetime while the other 36.4 percent revealing that they have used marijuana in the last one year. Additionally, another 22.7 percent of the respondents noting that they have been consta ...
Perception of Child Abuse 2COLLEGE STUDENTS’ AND PROFESSIO.docxherbertwilson5999
Perception of Child Abuse 2
COLLEGE STUDENTS’ AND PROFESSIONALS’ PERCEPTION OF CHILD ABUSE IN CORRELATION TO STRESS
Introduction
Throughout the growth and development of society, child abuse and maltreatment has expanded into many different aspects; it occurs within socioeconomic levels, ethnic and cultural lines, all religions and all levels of education. Within the United States children are suffering from a hidden epidemic of child abuse and neglect. Every year 3.3 million reports of child abuse are made in the United States involving nearly 6 million children (a report can include multiple children). The United States has the worst record in the industrialized nation – losing five children every day due to abuse-related deaths (U.S. Department of HHS, 2011). The estimated cost of child abuse and neglect in the United States for 2008 is $124 billion (Fang, 2012). The Department of Children and Families (DCF) defines child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent, guardian, or other caregiver that results in harm, potential for harm, or threat of harm to a child (Leeb, Paulozzi, Melanson, Simon, & Arias, 2008). There are four major categories of childhood abuse and maltreatment: physical abuse, psychological and emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect (Goldman, Salus, Wolcott, & Kennedy, 2003).
According to Brian H. Bornstein, Debra L. Kaplan, and Andrea R. Perry (2007), people have stereotypes about the circumstances and consequences of child abuse, and these expectancies can influence their judgments about individuals involved in abuse cases. Heim (2000) reported that participants with a history of abuse experience greater levels of perceived stress than participants without a history of abuse. They often perceive daily stressors more severely and longer in duration than their counterparts. It is also suggested that their history of abuse compromises these participants’ abilities to cope with stress, but the researchers noted that the data from their study is inconclusive, making it difficult for them to either support or refute this claim.
The perception of child abuse is very influential to students and upcoming professionals. Society’s definition and perception will guide current social work students into practice, which is a very important factor within the professional realm of social work.
Research Question
The purpose of this study is to examine college students and professionals’ perception of child abuse and how it relates to stress. The independent variable is the college students and professionals’ perception of child abuse and the dependent variable is how it relates to stress. The operational definition of perception remains closely allied to the continually developing behavioral theory of discrimination (Schoenfeld, 1962). The operational definition of child abuse is as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent, guardian, or other caregiver that results.
Abuse and mistreatment in the adolescent period - by Dr. Bozzi Domenico (Mast...dott. Domenico Bozzi
UNICEF has highlighted how children suffer violence throughout all stages of childhood and adolescence, in different contexts, and often at the hands of people they trust and interact with on a daily basis.
Violent corporal punishment, 300 million children between 2 and 4 years old in the world regularly suffer violence from their family/guardians (about 3 out of 4), 250 million of these are punished physically (about 6 out of 10).
Sexual violence, Sexual violence occurs against children of all ages: 15 million girls aged 15 to 19 have experienced incidents of sexual violence in their lives, and 2.5 million young women in 28 European countries report having suffered episodes of sexual violence before the age of 15.
Term Paper Assignment CRIJ 3300 Applied Research and Methods.docxjacqueliner9
Term Paper Assignment
CRIJ 3300 Applied Research and Methods
9 Pages
Introduction
In the American Criminal Justice System, many young adults commit delinquency acts. In this paper, the goal of this research is to find out if the use of any controlled substance or any illegal drug incite male juveniles in high school delinquency. I hypothesize that if male juveniles that attend high school consume any controlled substances or illegal drug, then their crime commission or delinquency rates will increase. If male juveniles that attend high school commit crime or delinquency acts, and they do not consume controlled substances or illegal drugs, their crime rates will go down or remain the same.
Population of Interest
For this research, the population of interest will be male juveniles of American nationality who attend a public high school in Chicago, Illinois.
Unit of Analysis
The unit of analysis proposed to analyze for this research will be individuals. Individual students who get studied in a research can be less likely to be influenced by peers or any outside source.
Variables of Interest
Attributes of the variables are important in this research. The male juveniles chosen will be between the ages of 12 to 17. The ethnicity or race of the juveniles are not important to this research, because it is not quantitative. It might be important for a research that is looking to know how many juveniles from certain race commit delinquent acts, but in this research, the goal is to find out if the consumption of any controlled substance or illegal drug alter juvenile delinquency rates. A controlled substance is any substance or medication that people use to get high. An illegal drug, is any substance that cannot be used under a certain age, or that cannot be used at all in the United States. These definitions bring us to the meaning of juvenile delinquency, which is any deviant behavior or delinquent act that juveniles commit during the course of adolescence or at a certain age that is between twelve and seventeen. This definition relates to the questions in the survey that ask about the juvenile committing any delinquent acts or deviant behaviors. The independent variable in this research is the drug or illegal substance that the juvenile consumes before the commission of a delinquent act. The dependent variable is the delinquent act itself depending on the consumption of illegal drugs or controlled substances. It is the dependent variable because as we hypothesized, if the juvenile does not take drugs or if he does not use controlled substances then the delinquency rate will probably go down. The control variable is the situations that happen to the juvenile when he is outside of school. Problems at home, child abuse, child neglect, being a victim of bullying, parents that abuse illegal substances, parents or family members that abuse alcohol in front of the juvenile amongst other, are examples of what could be considered the control variab.
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Research Review The Impact of DomesticViolence on Children.docxdebishakespeare
Research Review: The Impact of Domestic
Violence on Children
Dr John Devaney1
Summary: This paper reviews the research on the prevalence and impact of
domestic violence on children, and considers how professionals should respond to
children’s needs to best provide support and ensure their safety.
Keywords: domestic violence, impact on children, child abuse, coping mechanisms,
brain development, toxic stress, interventions, child protection.
Introduction
Domestic violence is a significant problem for those whose life is affected
by this issue, the social, health and criminal justice agencies that respond
to it, and wider society that must bear the costs. Whilst domestic violence
is not a new phenomenon, the past thirty years has seen increas-
ing public awareness and a growing political consensus that something
needs to be done, even if what should be done is less clear (Holt and
Devaney, 2015). Over time our understanding about the presentation,
dynamics and impact of domestic violence has developed, resulting in the
need to define what is it that society needs to tackle. This, however, has
not been a trouble free endeavour, with definitions and understanding of
violence varying across research studies, regions and cultural settings
(European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, 2014). In Northern
Ireland domestic violence (also referred to as domestic abuse or intimate
partner violence in the literature) has been defined as:
Threatening, controlling, coercive behaviour, violence or abuse
(psychological, physical, verbal, sexual, financial or emotional) inflicted
79
IRISH PROBATION JOURNAL Volume 12, October 2015
1 John Devaney, PhD. is a senior lecturer in social work in the School of Sociology, Social Policy
and Social Work at Queen’s University Belfast. Email [email protected]
IPJ Vol 12cl revised_IPJ 21/09/2015 15:10 Page 79
on anyone (irrespective of age, ethnicity, religion, gender or sexual
orientation) by a current or former intimate partner or family member.
(Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety and
Department of Justice, 2013)
In a British Crime Survey it was reported that half of those who suffered
domestic violence in the previous year were living with a child aged
sixteen years or younger (Mirrlees-Black, 1999). Within the United
Kingdom it is estimated that up to one million children have been
exposed to domestic violence (UNICEF, 2006). Yet in spite of these
stark statistics there has been, until recently, a systemic failure by public
agencies to appreciate that the presence of domestic violence should be
an indicator of the importance of assessing the needs of children to both
support and protection when living in the same household as the victim.
This article seeks to summarise the key messages from the research
literature on the prevalence and impact of domestic violence on children,
and to draw some conclusions about how professionals should respond
to children’s needs for safety and suppo ...
During the past century, social policies and programs for Nigerian children, youth, and families have undergone frequent shifts in philosophy and direction. Many policy frameworks, such as selective legibility universal prevention, rehabilitation, and punishment, have contributed to the conceptual bases for services, programs, and interventions designed for young people. However, the most consistent characteristic of Nigerian social policy for children and families may be the sheer inconsistency of efforts aimed at helping the nation’s most vulnerable populations. Recent advances in understanding the developmental processes associated with the onset and persistence of childhood and adolescent problems warrant new thinking about policies and programs., we have learned more about why some children and adolescents develop social and health problems, and in the case of such problems as sexually transmitted infections, drug use, and delinquency why some youths make choices that lead to poor outcomes at home and in school and the community. Unfortunately, this knowledge is not yet systematically applied to policy or program design, which results in poorly specified, inadequately integrated, and wastefully duplicated services for children and families. The motivation for this volume comes from the growing recognition that knowledge gained from understanding the developmental trajectories of children who experience social and health problems must be used to craft more effective policies and programs.
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At Risk Youth For Dummies No Videos
1.
2. In What Time Period Were Kids Committing Most Violent Crime? Mid-70’s to Early 80’s Mid-90’s Mid-2000’s
3. Objectives Define what “At-risk” means. Determine behaviors youth are “At-risk” for. Identify how school policies can create “At-risk” youth. Identify current trends in youth behaviors and how it impacts youth “At-risk”. Identify linkage between youth “At-risk” and trauma.
4. What Does “At-Risk” Mean Howell, J. C. (2003). Preventing & Reducing Juvenile Delinquency. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
5.
6. Predictors of Delinquency For ages 6-11, the strongest predictors for serious or violent offenses are early involvement in delinquency (general offenses) and drug use. The weakest predictor is antisocial peer association. For ages 12-14, the strongest predictors for serious of violent offenses are a lack of social ties and having antisocial peers. The weakest predictors are substance abuse and ethnicity.
10. Every school day, more than 7,200 students fall through the cracks of America's public high schools. Three out of every 10 members of this year’s graduating class, 1.3 million students in all, will fail to graduate with a diploma. A majority of non-graduates are members of historically disadvantaged minorities and other educationally underserved groups. Swanson, C. B. (2010, June 2). U.S. Graduation Rate Continues Decline. Education Week , pp. 22-23. Retrieved from: http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2010/06/10/34swanson.h29.html
11. K-12 Suspension Rate Increases Losen, D.J., Skiba, R. Suspended Education: Urban Middle Schools in Crisis. Southern Poverty Law Center. 2010. Retrieved from: http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/publications/suspended-education
12. School to Prison Pipeline In Richardson, Texas, a 14-year-old boy with Asperger’s syndrome was given a $364 police citation in May 2009 for using an expletive in his classroom. In May 2007, an 8th-grader in Norfolk, Virginia, was suspended and ordered into a program for substance abusers after she got some Tylenol from a classmate to deal with a headache. In October 2009, a six-year-old student in Newark, Delaware was so excited about joining the Cub Scouts that he brought his camping utensil to school to use at lunch. Because the tool had a small knife, he was suspended and referred to an alternative school for 45 days. A 12-year old student in Stuart, Florida, was arrested in November 2008 for “disrupting a school function.” The “disruption” was that the student had “passed gas.” In Florida, there were over 21,000 arrests and referrals of students to the state’s Department of Juvenile Justice in 2007-2008, and 69% of them were for misdemeanor offenses. In Pennsylvania, the number of school-based arrests has almost tripled in just seven years.
17. Gang Involvement National Youth Gang Center (2009). National Youth Gang Survey Analysis. Retrieved [date] from http://www.nationalgangcenter.gov/Survey-Analysis
20. Marijuana Source: Monitoring the Future study, University of Michigan, 2010. Retrieved from: http://monitoringthefuture.org/data/10data/fig10_4.pdf
21. Other Drug Usage Trends Ecstasy Cocaine Prescription LSD * Over the Counter Cough and Cold Johnston, L. D., O'Malley, P. M., Bachman, J. G., & Schulenberg, J. E. (December 14, 2010). "Marijuana use is rising; ecstasy use is beginning to rise; and alcohol use is declining among U.S. teens." University of Michigan News Service: Ann Arbor, MI. Retrieved MM/DD/YYYY from http://www.monitoringthefuture.org
22. Alcohol Usage Source: Monitoring the Future study, University of Michigan, 2010. Retrieved from: http://monitoringthefuture.org/data/10data.html#2010data-drugs
26. Youth Violence In 2007, 5,764 young people ages 10 to 24 were murdered—an average of 16 each day (CDC 2010a). Homicide was the 2nd leading cause of death for young people ages 10 to 24 years old (CDC 2010a). Among 10 to 24 year-olds, 86% (4,973) of homicide victims were male and 14% (791) were female (CDC 2010a). Among homicide victims ages 10 to 24 years-old, 84% were killed with a firearm (CDC 2010a). Among 10 to 24 year-olds, homicide is the leading cause of death for African Americans; the second leading cause of death for Hispanics; and the third leading cause of death for Asian/Pacific Islanders and American Indians and Alaska Natives (CDC 2010a).
27. Some Female “At-Risk” Behaviors Increasing Criminal Behavior in Girls Between 1999 and 2008, the number of larceny-theft arrests of juvenile females grew 4% while juvenile male arrests declined 29%, and adult female arrests grew more than adult male arrests (29% and 4%, respectively). Juvenile Justice Bulletin: Juvenile Arrests 2008 (December 2009). Washington: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. U.S. Department of Justice.
28.
29.
30. Link Between Trauma and Being At-Risk Being abused or neglected as a child increases the likelihood of arrest as a juvenile by 59% (Widom, 1995). Among a sample of female juvenile offenders, 74 percent reported being hurt or in danger of being hurt, 60 percent reported being raped or in danger of being raped, and 76 percent reported witnessing someone being severely injured or killed (Cauffman, 1998). (Anda and Feletti, 2003) Rates of PTSD among youth in juvenile justice settings range from 3 percent in some to over 50 percent in others .(Arroyo, 2001). These rates are up to eight times as high as in community samples of similar-age peers (Saign et al., 1999). One study found that over 90% of juvenile detainees reported having experienced at least one traumatic incident (Arroyo, 2001).
32. Any questions or suggestions contact: Bryce BarnhartDirector of Professional Developmentbab@amikids.org
Editor's Notes
As a juvenile justice professional it is important to keep current on trends impacting our youth.
Risk factors have a cumulative effect. The greater number of risk factors, the greater the likelihood of a negative outcome. Many of our youth have multiple risk factors which dramatically increase the probability they will engage in problem behaviors. The focus with at-risk youth is to mitigate the risk factors and strengthen the protective factors so that they have the greatest likelihood for success.
The problem behaviors listed here are behaviors that would cause a significant disruption in the normal development of the youth. The risk factor is predictive of what problem behavior the youth may engage in. Although it does not predict the problem behaviors 100%, it gives us a pretty good clue as to where we might need to intervene to prevent the identified problem behaviors. Obviously the more risk factors a youth has, the more potential for having multiple problem behaviors.1 Not measured in all surveys, archival indicator data may better assess these risk factors. New York State’s Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services. Retrieved from http://www.oasas.state.ny.us/prevention/framework.cfm
This information is important in two different ways. The first is that knowing the predictors allows for interventions for children that focus on early delinquent behaviors and drug use and for interventions with adolescents that focus on strengthening social ties and decreasing associations with anti-social peers. The second way is that it demonstrates that we must have different approaches for different age groups.Lipsey, M.W. and Derzon, J.H. (1998). Serious and Violent Juvenile Offenders: Risk Factors and Successful Interventions. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
Protective factors work in three ways:They buffer risk factors, providing a cushion against negative effects.They interrupt the causal factors through which risk factors operate.Protective factors may operate by preventing the initial occurrence of a risk factor.1 (Hawkins, 1999, p.445)2 (Durlak, 1998, p.516)
The area of this graph to be most concerned about is the percentage that do not graduate. These are the youth we see in our programs and schools. We need to discover what factors are causing this disengagement from school (i.e. school to prison pipeline). Failing school is a predictive risk factor.There are a few caveats to this data. The first is that the definition of what constitutes a drop has changed and continues to be modified. For example, a youth that does not graduate with his cohort can be considered a drop-out even though they may receive a GED or participate in credit recovery and earn a diploma through an alternative method. Also, some of the NCLB testing is creating a new set of barriers for youth that may accelerate the trend. This deceleration will probably be followed by some new definitions of drop-outs.The group of youth that do not graduate with cohort or are too far behind to graduate by traditional means often are “at-risk” to engage in a series of anti-social behaviors.
The youth falling through the cracks are our kids. 1.3 million will fail to get diplomas. This number is staggering when you consider these are the kids that find their way into programs and detention centers. If graduation rates continue to fall, there is likely to be a upswing in juvenile crime. When juvenile crime was high on the mid-90’s, graduation rates were at level not seen since the 60’s.Take a look at the list and see if the county you work in is represented here. If so, how could that impact services to at-risk youth?
Many of the youth suspended have diagnosed and undiagnosed learning disabilities. These youth become disengaged due to material being over their heads. Because they are lost or way behind, they begin to act out. With at-risk kids, it is much better to be considered bad than stupid. These kids then get suspended, putting them further behind and decreasing the chances they will graduate with their cohort. If the do not graduate with cohort it is unlikely they will graduate at all. Unfortunatley, Majority of the suspensions are for non-violent, less disruptive behaviors such as abusive language, attendance issues, disobedience and disrespect and the “catch-all” general classroom disruption.
Zero tolerance came out of the “War on Drugs”. “Get tough” polices found their way into school. Larger police presence in schools and the criminalization of student behaviors that had previously been handled other ways. These policies tend to target kids of color and students with disabilities at a disproportionate rate. Kids that previously were not “at-risk” now have an incident in school that puts them in contact with criminal justice system, puts them behind in school and surrounds them with a peer group that has been disassociated with their pro-social peers. These policies alone can create “at-risk” youth.Sources:Education on Lockdown: The Schoolhouse to Jailhouse Track http://www.advancementproject.org/sites/default/files/publications/FINALEOLrep.pdfTest, Punish, and Put Out: How “Zero Tolerance” and High-Stakes Testing Funnel Youth Into the School-To-Prison Pipleline http://www.advancementproject.org/sites/default/files/publications/01-EducationReport-2009v8-HiRes.pdf
This is not to say that living with a single parent is predictive of future criminal behavior. In fact, meta-analysis by Lipsey and Derzon (1998) indicate that it is a weak predictor of crime. The issue with this trend comes into play when you consider poverty and parent child/parent relations. If single parent is working two jobs to support family and cannot provide adequate supervision or spend quality time with youth then the potential for this to be a risk factor along with poverty and poor child/parent relations increases.
Rates of poverty increasing due to economic downturn. There does not seem to be a direct correlation between increases in poverty and other “at-risk” behaviors but statistics on these behaviors tends to lag two years behind. It remains to be seen how poverty increases will effect juvenile crime, child abuse, teen pregnancy and stability of families.
Although gang membership is still primarily adult, kids are looking to gangs to provide them with things they are missing at home and in the community. They become of part of a social network, find a degree of security and feel a sense of power they did not feel before. Gangs are created and maintained out of the simple need for people to want to belong, feel safe and have a sense of power and control. If kids can be taught other pro
Reversal of a trend that has been declining for a decade. The rate increase was highest for blacks. Among blacks, the rate increased from 122.7 per 1,000 in 2005 to 126.3. For Hispanics the rate rose from 124.9 per 1,000 women to 126.6. Among whites, the rate increased from 43.3 per 1,000 women to 44.0. Teenage births are associated with lower annual income for the mother. Eighty percent of teen mothers must rely on welfare at some point. Teenage mothers are more likely to drop out of school. Only about one-third of teen mothers obtain a high school diploma. Teenage pregnancies are associated with increased rates of alcohol and substance abuse, lower educational level, and reduced earning potential in teen fathers.
The decreasing or stable trend in beginning to be replaced by an increasing trend. With more states considering legalizing marijuana, it appears youth attitudes about using have become relaxed. Potential issue here is some states legalize and others don’t. Could see a spike in marijuana usage and arrests. One in sixteen 12th graders use marijuana on a daily or near daily basis.
Ecstasy use had a small surge in use. The perceived risk has potentially faded with younger cohort. Cocaine use has steadied out but much lower that mid-80’s and 90’s.Prescription abuse has leveled off. Still an important issue but no longer growing.Perceived risk of LSD has fallen which historically means the drug could show increases in the future.Over the counter cough and cold has remained steady.
Data is confirmed by CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey as decreasing since survey began in 1991. MTF study indicates that alcohol usage by 12th graders is at the lowest level since study began in 1975.
New drug trend. Synthetic drugs seem to be new niche. Not detectable by drug screens so often a drug of choice of kids that have to submit drug tests. Provides the same feeling as some of the more traditional drugs but effects of chemicals can be much worse of the body.
Most notable that juvenile crime has decreases in almost all categories (except robbery and simple assault), while adults have shown less dramatic decreases or increases. Violent juvenile crime has been lower than levels in the 80’s for most of the decade. Spike in violent crime coincided with crack cocaine epidemic.
Although violence across the nation has decreased, these facts are still startling. The fact that homicide is one of the leading causes of death for young people aged 10-24 is of a great concern. Couple that with the fact that the vast majority are killed with guns and we have a area of intervention to focus on. Our programming needs to obviously include anger management but also need to consist of a variety of interventions focused on the use or rather misuse of firearms.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (a). Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) [Online]. (2007). National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (producer). [2010 Jun 14] Available from URL: www.cdc.gov/injury. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (a). Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS) [Online]. (2007). National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (producer). [2010 Jun 14] Available from URL: www.cdc.gov/injury.
Although we are seeing decreases in most crimes in boys, girls have dramatic increases in robbery, disorderly conduct and simple assaults. Although there can be many speculations as to the reasons for the increases, it is difficult at this point to pinpoint why. Some say it is increased sexual and physical abuse (although data tells us otherwise) or gang membership that is causing the increases. Regardless of the reasons, we need to take a look at mitigating risk factors and increasing protective factors for girls.
There has been substantial decreases in the number of cases of child maltreatment in the US. Although these number are encouraging, there is a slight upturn in the number of victim and we still have to remember that 760,000 children are suffering from maltreatment. Once again, we have to be concerned with this number as there is a direct link between abuse and being involved in criminal behavior.
Observe in this video clip how youth can suffer trauma or be re-traumatized at the hands of staff members. Our programs and detention centers are supposed to be safe places for youth. We have to ensure that we do not expose them to situations that can aggravate past traumas or create new ones.
Arroyo, W. (2001). PTSD in children and adolescents in the juvenile justice system. In J.M. Oldham & M.B. Riba (SeriesEds) & S. Eth (Vol. Ed.), Review of Psychiatry Series: Vol.20, Number 1. PTSD in Children and Adolescents (pp. 59-86).Washington DC: American Psychiatric Publishing.(Arroyo, 2001; Garland, et. al., 2001; Teplin, et. al., 2002; Wasserman,et al., 2002; Cauffman, et al., 1998)(Saigh, et al., 1999; Saltzman, et al., 2001).Cauffman, E., Feldman, S.S., Waterman, J., and Steiner, H. (1998). Posttraumatic stress disorder among female juvenile offenders. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 37 (11), 1209-1217.Anda and Feletti (2003) Retrieved from: http://www.acestudy.org/files/ARV1N1.pdf
How many of these behaviors do your kids display? Many times our kids are misdiagnosed with depression, ADD or ODD when in reality they have an underlying trauma that has not be effectively considered and treated. The cries for help come out in certain behaviors which are misunderstood which could lead to re-traumatization or further traumatization. If you have youth that display many of these behaviors, please ensure that they have access to a qualified treatment professional. Just dealing with behavior without looking for the root cause is like trying to put out a fire by removing the smoke.
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