MSC 106 - Juvenile Justice & Delinquency

Topic: DELINQUENCY PREVENTION

PROGRAMS

Reporters: Glanery V Cabeliza

Maycel Joy C Suyu
OBJECTIVES
 Describe the different types of delinquency prevention
programs.
 Explain the concept of diversion.
 Describe the different areas of delinquency prevention
programs.
 Give example of programs that fall under delinquency
prevention programs.
 Describe the types of programs that generally do not
work in delinquency prevention programs.
 Describe the types of programs that do tend to work in
delinquency prevention programs.
Introduction
The delinquency prevention has sometimes been a search for the
panacea that will prevent juveniles from becoming delinquent. There is a
variety of solid programs that are effective at preventing delinquency,
however the costs associated with these interventions can sometimes be
high. There have been many attempts at identifying inexpensive juvenile
prevention programs that appeal to politicians and the general public, but
too often these programs are fads, coming and going as the latest craze in
juvenile justice. Meanwhile, effective delinquency prevention programs
typically go unheralded and unnoticed.
Many programs fall under the heading of diversion, the idea that
first-time juvenile offenders deserve a second chance. Many others attempt
to identify juveniles who are most at risk of becoming delinquent and try to
intervene before it is too late. Still others focus on those juveniles who have
already committed a variety of delinquent acts and attempt to change their
behavior. The variety and sheer number of programs that could be classified
as delinquency prevention programs is staggering.
Delinquency Prevention
- A broad term used to identify a variety of programs
designed to prevent juveniles from becoming
delinquent. The best way to deal with juvenile
delinquency is to prevent it from occurring.

The philosophy behind many delinquency prevention

programs is very appealing:
1. Teach juveniles the skills they need;
2. Educate juveniles so they will not recidivate;
and
3. Provide programs to occupy a juvenile's time so
they will not commit crimes.

The people responsible for conceptualizing and running

these programs typically have the best interest of the child
at heart.
Office of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP).

- is responsible for wide-ranging tasks that are all related

to bettering the juvenile justice system. Reviewing all
of the different types of strategies and programs that
could be called delinquency prevention is impossible,
however there are some common approaches to
delinquency prevention.
- established through JJDP Act of 1974, located w/n the
U.S. Department of Justice.
- goal is to provide national leadership in addressing the
issues of juvenile delinquency and improving juvenile
justice
OJJDP sponsors research, programs and training initiatives
to improve the juvenile justice system as a whole, as well
as to benefit individual, youth-serving agencies:

1. Research and Program Development Division

-develops knowledge on national trends in juvenile delinquency;
supports a program for data collection and information sharing that
incorporates elements of statistical and systems development, identities
how delinquency develops and the best methods tor its prevention, and
treatment; and analyzes practices and trends in juvenile justice system.

2. Training and Technical Assistance Division

- provides juvenile justice training and technical assistance to federal,
state, and local governments; law enforcement, judiciary, and
corrections personnel; and private agencies, educational institutions,
and community organizations.
3. Special Emphasis Division
- provides discretionary funds to public and private agencies,
organizations, and individuals to replicate tested approaches to
delinquency prevention, treatment, and control in such pertinent are as
chronic juvenile offenders, community-based sanctions, and the
disproportionate representation of minorities in the juvenile justice
system.

4. State Relations and Assistance Division

supports collaborative efforts by states to carry out the mandates of JJDP
Act by providing funds and furnishing technical assistance, and monitoring
state compliance with the JJDP Act.

5. Information Dissemination Unit

- produces and distributes information resources on juvenile justice
research, training, and programs, and coordinates the Office's program
planning and competitive award activities.
6. Concentration of Federal Efforts Program
– promotes interagency cooperation and coordination among federal agencies
with responsibilities in the area of juvenile justice.

7. Child Protection Division

- administers programs related to crimes against children and children's
exposure to violence.
 The Theory of Delinquency Prevention
The idea that delinquency can be prevented rests on the notion that we
can identify those juveniles at-risk and those juveniles that are most in need of
intervention. Many times this is accomplished through the identification of risk
factors. Once the juvenile is determined to be at-risk, the juvenile is referred to
the appropriate program. The second primary method of delinquency prevention is
providing assistance and support to all juveniles even if they are not at-risk
youths. These programs are typically provided with the hope that juveniles will
learn not to become delinquent in the first place.
Delinquency prevention and intervention programs can be group into
several different categories:
1. Growing number of programs are focusing on Early pre-delinquent
intervention and prevention - where attempts are made to target pregnant
mothers and children in the very early stages of life.
2. Large number of programs fall under general heading of diversion here
first-time offenders are diverted away from formal processing and into a number
of service programs.
Early pre-delinquent
intervention and prevention
- A range of programs designed to target children at risk
becoming delinquent based on the identification of
early risk factors.
- Must be able to identify the risk factors inherent in the
development of delinquent youths.
- Perry Preschool Program is one example which targets
how socioeconomic families with young children ages
three and four (a two-year intervention that operates
two and a half hours per day, five days per week, for
seven months per year, and includes weekly home
visitations by teachers.
Early pre-delinquent
intervention and prevention
1. Risk-Focused Prevention Programs – A growing trend is
for delinquency prevention programs to focus on the
risk factors associated with committing delinquent
acts.
2. Family Treatment and Intervention – a more holistic
approach that involves more than just treating the
juveniles themselves.
Diversion
- is a general term for a wide range of programs that keep
juveniles who commit crimes out of the formal juvenile
justice system.
- Diversion programs are in place to correct or prevent future
and more serious problems from occur ring and to prevent
further involvement with the juvenile and criminal justice
systems.
- Diversionary programs are akin to probation, however in
exchange for not being formally adjudicated, the juvenile
will typically agree to participate in treatment programs
tailored for their needs.
Diversion Programs
- Diversion programs take many forms and can be either general, in
the sense that most offenders can be eligible, or specific,
meaning that only certain types of offenders are diverted to
them. However, serious or violent juveniles are not eligible for
diversion, even to general programs.
- Indeed, diversion is designed for first-time offenders as a means
for a second chance and as a gateway to needed services. Many
jurisdictions have strict rules regarding who is eligible for
diversion either in juvenile court policy or in state statute.

While on diversion, a juvenile will typically have to

participate actively in a treatment program of some type. Failure to
adhere to diversion guidelines or the commission of a new crime
usually results in automatic termination from diversion.
Problematic issues related to
juvenile diversionary programs:

1. Net widening - means using diversion and prevention

programs as a means to bring more juveniles under
court control instead of as an alternative to formal
processing
2. Due process and equal protection issues - a
disposition without the benefit of an adjudication. The
juvenile is simply agreeing to probation without ever
being given the chance of a hearing
Diversion Effectiveness
Most juveniles who come into contact with the
system never come back into contact with the system
again. One diversion program in Washington State
implemented a fast track system that diverts first- and
second-time offenders charged with misdemeanors or gross
misdemeanors to a Community Accountability Board (CAB).
To be eligible for the program, offenders must be between
the ages of eight and 17 and must admit to the charges.
The CAB meets with the youth and his or her parents) or
guardian(s) to discuss the diversion process, the reasons
the offender committed the offense, and the impact of the
offense. The CAB then formulates a diversion agreement
that may include community service, restitution to the
victim, or counseling.
MYTH

- Most juvenile delinquents are chronic offenders who have

multiple contacts with the juvenile justice and criminal justice
systems.
FACT

- A study of the court history of juvenile offenders in Arizona

and Utah found that 71 percent of females and 54 percent of
males who had contact with the juvenile court had only one
referral.

Like many issues in juvenile justice, the research on the

effectiveness of diversion is mixed. A large body of research has
found that diversion is successful in reducing the systems
overload and in deterring future recidivism
 School-Based Programs
Many delinquency prevention programs target children at a very early
age, as such many of these programs are school based. Juveniles spend a great
deal of time in school, so it is logical for schools to offer a variety of programs
designed to prevent delinquency. A recent analysis of potential school-based
programs concluded:
1. A school district serving an area with a high rate of delinquency should offer a
program of preschool education aimed at 3- and 4-year old children.
2. The preschool program need not be a government venture. Public funds should
pay for those programs that are intended to reach low-income, high-risk families,
but these funds can be distributed in whole or in part by a voucher system,
allowing parents to spend their voucher on whatever program appeals to them.
3. The school system should designate a counselor whose special responsibility
would be to collate information from preschool teachers, guidance counselors,
social service agencies, and law enforcement agencies in order to identify children
with serious behavior problems.
4. Families of children with serious behavior problems should
be contacted to explore the possibility and desirability of
enrolling one or both parents in a program designed to
improve the management of difficult young children.
5. Parents in such programs should be brought into contact
with families who have had similar experiences and
benefited from the treatment program.
6. Public and private agencies should experiment with a
home visitor program. Regular visits to the homes of multi-
problem families provide continuous contact between clients
and agencies, supply clients with valuable health and
nutritional advice, and build positive relationships between
people in need of someone who will listen and people who
are willing to be involved.
7. A significant part of a city program would be managed on
an experimental basis with independent evaluation.
 Community-Based Programs
In an effort to develop a more holistic approach to delinquency prevention, many
jurisdictions attempt to move beyond the criminal or juvenile justice system
alone and involve more community groups and organizations. The idea is that we
all have a stake in preventing delinquency and ultimately caring for our
communities.

Many community programs focus on education and awareness of topics that are
problematic in the community.

Communities That Care (CTC) is a community empowerment strategy that

emphasizes assessment and planning as the basis for program development and
implementation.
- designed to bring together key community leaders to work on mechanisms for
delinquency prevention. As such, it combines several key ingredients thought to
be related to successful delinquency prevention programs including a holistic
effort, involvement of multiple actors, and long-term planning for prevention.
Mentoring
Mentoring programs - began in the late 1800s when several adults began
serving as role models for children of the poor.
- combine many of the positive aspects of delinquency prevention and have
been a prime outlet for volunteers who wish to donate their time;
- focus on a wide variety of activities as well as prevention treatment, and
are typically based in churches, colleges, communities, courts, and
schools.

A "mentor" is defined as an adult, 21 years or older, who works with an at-risk

youth on a one-on-one basis.

Big Brothers/Big Sisters (BBBSA) of America was created and continues to

operate today as the largest mentoring organization of its kind.
- a federation of more than 500 agencies that serve children and
adolescents
- seeks to assist children in need in reaching their highest potential by
providing committed volunteers, national leadership, and standards of
excellence.
Juvenile Mentoring Program (JUMP)
- Seeks to support one-on-one mentoring programs for youths at risk of educational failure,
dropping out of school, or involvement in delinquent activities, including gangs and drug abuse.
- The strategy of the JUMP program is to fund collaborative efforts between LEA's and the public
or private nonprofit organizations or tribal nations to support development of effective
mentoring programs for at-risk youth.

The goals of the JUMP program are:

• To reduce juvenile delinquency and gang participation in at-risk youth.
• To improve academic performance of at-risk youth.
• To reduce the dropout rate for at-risk youth through the establishment of one-on-one mentoring

The objectives of this initiative are to:

• Provide general guidance to at-risk youths.
• Promote personal and social responsibility among at-risk youths.
• Increase participation of at-risk youths in elementary and secondary education and enhance their
ability to benefit from this schooling.
• Discourage use of illegal drugs and firearms, involvement in violence, and other delinquent activity
among at-risk youths.
• Discourage involvement of at-risk youths in gangs.
• Encourage participation in service and community activity among at-risk youths
 Job Services
There are a multitude of vocational and job-related services
that are available to youths in the community. Some of these
programs are designed specifically with delinquency prevention
in mind while others simply focus on preparing youth for the job
market without specific attention to delinquency prevention.
One of the most prominent federal programs is the Job Corps.

Job Corps- is a national residential education and training

program for severely disadvantaged youths ages 16 to 24;
- prepares youths for stable, productive employment and
entrance into vocational and technical schools, junior colleges,
military service, or other institutions for further education and
training.
Recreational and Time Occupying Programs
Although juveniles are enrolled in school for as much as
eight hours a day, the majority of a juvenile's time is
unstructured and unsupervised. Estimates vary, but for
some juveniles, as much as 50 percent of time falls into
these categories and is essentially unproductive.

Organized programs and activities are thought to reduce

the risks of juvenile delinquency and provide a positive
outlet for free time. How does this apply to other extra-
curricular activities.
Teen Courts
- Teen courts have become extremely popular; growing
from a handful of programs in the 1960s, the number of
teen courts now operating in the United States
- Usually handle first-time offenders charged with minor
offenses. Most of the juveniles processed by teen courts
involve juveniles under the age of 16 who do not have a
prior arrest record.
- Operated by probation departments (37 percent),
however a variety of other agencies (law enforcement,
schools, district attorneys office) and private agencies
operate teen courts.
A recent national survey of teen court programs found at
least four potential benefits of the programs:

• Accountability- Teen courts may help to ensure that young offenders are held
accountable for their illegal behavior, even when their offenses are relatively minor
and would not likely result in sanctions from the traditional juvenile justice system.

• Timeliness- An effective teen court can move young offenders from arrest to
sanctions within a matter of days rather than the months that may pass with
traditional juvenile courts.

• Cost savings- Teen courts usually depend heavily on youths and adult volunteers. If
managed properly, they may handle a substantial number of offenders at relatively
little cost to the community.

• Community cohesion- A well-structured and expansive teen court program may

affect the entire community by increasing public appreciation of the legal system,
enhancing community/court relationships, encouraging greater respect for the law
among youth, and promoting volunteerism among both adults and youths.
Teen Court Models and
Process
- Juveniles are referred to teen courts in various
models from just about every component in the
juvenile justice system.

- Teen courts generally follow one of four models:

the adult judge model, he youth judge model, the
youth tribunal model, and the peer jury model.
Teen Court Effectiveness
- Like many other diversion and delinquency prevention
programs, the research on the effectiveness of teen
court is in its preliminary stages and so far has resulted
in fixed findings. A recent review of the research
conducted on teen courts over the past 20 years found
that many of the studies were rudimentary and offered
little insight into true effectiveness.
Programs Focusing on Status
Offenses
- Recently, cities around the country have begun to
more actively enforce existing status offense laws,
particularly curfew and truancy. In several cities,
new curfew laws have been passed that
specifically target juveniles.

- The philosophy of these programs is to

aggressively target juveniles who violate curfew,
who are truant, or who are otherwise at-risk for
becoming a delinquent. The programmatic
interventions frequently target habitual truants,
curfew violators, or runaways.
 Deinstitutionalization
The removal of certain classes of juvenile offenders
from incarceration. The deinstitutionalization of
status offenders was brought about under the JIDP
Act of 1974.

Scared Straight
- Was a program popularized by a television program that aired in
1979.
- The program took youths who had already committed delinquent acts
and youths who were at-risk of delinquency inside the prison system
to be confronted by inmates from the correctional facility.
- Was hailed as the best way to cure delinquency, and since it was
extremely cheap to operate, many jurisdictions adopted their own.
- Is a classic example of a panacea cure, a quick fix solution to a
complex problem
THE END