midterm

Question 1

Youth pre 1600s (Medival times)

Answer 1

• “childhood” did not exist as we know it
• low parent-child attachment, high infant mortality rates
• 11th century english common law
• Youth under age 7 lack understanding of right and wrong
• Doli incapax: “incapable of wrongdoing” for age 7-14

Question 2

youth in 1800s (industrial revolution)

Answer 2

• Child labour laws → youth less involved in work
• State-funded & sponsored schools beginning in 1840s
• education and “child savers”: control morality of “unfit” parents

Question 3

1900s-present day

Answer 3

• Discovery of “adolesence” a Unique period of rapid brain development age 10-19
• Different expectations for youth and adults
  Entirely separate systems for youth and adults offenders
• 1908 juvenile delinquents act (JDA)
  “Juvenille delinquent” is a legal status

Question 4

Lead up to YCJA

Answer 4

• Precursor: YOA from 1984- 2002
  YCJA implemented in 2003
• YCJA less punitive than the YOA, but results in a bifurcated system

Question 5

Purpose of the YCJA

Answer 5

• Preamble: Outlines primary goals/purpose of the YCJA
• Reduce overreliance on incarceration

Question 6

Principles of the YCJA

Answer 6

• Protect the public by Holding youth accountable
• Recognize the special status of youth
• Respect individual differences & needs
• Rights of youth, parents, and victims

Question 7

YCJA Modification: Presumptive offence

Answer 7

• presumptive offence: Serious, violent offences committed by “older” youth
• Transfer to adult court for presumptive offences: Possible for 14+, Automatic for 16+ unless the defence shows why the case should be tried in youth court

Question 8

YCJA modification: Bill C-10

Answer 8

Bill C-10
- Eliminated presumptive offence, No youth sentences served in adult facilities

• Publication of names at the judge’s discretion, expanded violent offense definitions, added deterrence & denunciation

Question 9

Defining and identifying youth crime

Answer 9

• Measurement: specific definition of youth crime and youth offender
• Reliablility: consistency and replication
• Validity: accuracy, measures what we think were mesuring

Question 10

Impact of Media

Answer 10

• Main source of crime data for the average person
• False information: Crime is always getting worse –> Increases fear of crime (moral panic)
• Perpetuates stereotypes

Question 11

Types of official records

Answer 11

• Information known to government (statistics Canada)
• Police: Direct observation or Citizen reporting (UCR and CSI)
• Courts: Cases serious enough to be processed through courts
• Corrections: Cases that result in correctional program/sentence

Question 12

Concerns of Official records

Answer 12

• Reliability
• “dark figure of crime”
• Filtered through justice system agencies
  (over-representation of race)
• Lack of detailed information

Question 13

Types of Self report surveys

Answer 13

• Offending: Individuals self-report their crimes, based on “actual” offending = less bias, boys commit more crime than girls but girls commit similar types
• Victimization: reported personal and vicarious experiences

Question 14

Methods of Self report surveys

Answer 14

• In person (school-, home-based), phone, online
• Cross-sectional: Data from a single time point (ie ask a bunch of people who saw it happen see what adds up)
• Longitudinal: Data from the same individuals over time (ie keep asking person over time to see what parts of story add up)

Question 15

Concerns of Self report surveys

Answer 15

• Truthfulness of respondents; intentional or unintentional
• No systematic data collection
• No representation for victimless or undetected crimes

Question 16

what is ethnographic Observations and what are its 2 types

Answer 16

• a persons observations of daily life of subgroups
• Participant observation: The researcher participates in and observes
• Nonparticipant observation: Strictly observation no participating

Question 17

Youth crime trends overtime

Answer 17

• Crime peaked in 1991, has declined since
• Crime post 2014 is stable, small spike in 2019

Question 18

Most common types of crime among youth

Answer 18

1. Property crime (Shoplifting, mischief)
2. Violent crime (Common assault, threats)
3. Other criminal code offences
4. Drug offences

Question 19

Ages of youth offenders

Answer 19

• Most offenses peak ages
  14-17
• Age-crime curve: youth age
  out of crime

Question 20

Effectiveness of the YCJA overtime

Answer 20

came into being 2003 Main goal Decrease the number of youth involved in justice system

• Charge rates consistently lower for
  age 12-17
• Fewer charges for nonviolent
  offences

Question 21

What are correlates and what are its factors

Answer 21

• Correlates: Factors identified as being associated with crime & delinquency
• Risk: Factors that increase the likelihood of crime/delinquency
• Protective: Factors that buffer negative effects or decrease the likelihood of crime/delinquency

Question 22

Correlates: Individuals

Answer 22

Risk factors related to individuals

• Victimization: could lead to substance use (delinquency)
• Cross-over kids: Foster care –> Justice system
  50% of youth offenders were in the welfare system
• Mental illness: Higher prevalence of mental illness among youth in justice system
• Co-occurrences: Victimization, gang membership, welfare system, offending

Question 23

Correlates: Peers

Answer 23

Risk factors related to a youths peers

• Peer selection and influence: Co-offending is most common for youth (peer pressure delinquent friends)
• Gangs as a special type of peer group: people join for Family, protection, status/respect, because history of mental illness

Question 24

Correlates: Family/Household

Answer 24

Risk factors related to a youth’s family

• Income/Employment: Youth from low-income families are overrepresented in justice statistics
• Family structure: single-parent households higher delinquency rates
• Parenting style: More supervision, Strong attachment to kids, parenting style, all reduce offending

Question 25

Correlates: School

Answer 25

Risk factors related to a youth's school - Individual responsibility of students: dropouts higher delinquency rates, school engagement buffers dropouts/delinquency - Inequality in school funding: Poorer schools = worse student outcomes - exposure to crime: Low levels of violence; minor property offences & bullying most common

Question 26

Correlates: Community

Answer 26

Factors related to a youths Community RISK - Concentrated crime and poverty Availability of weapons, alcohol, drugs PROTECTIVE - Neighbourhood attachment, Availability of pro-social activities, groups

Question 27

Prevention & Intervention Strategies

Answer 27

Prevention: prevent general youth Populus from delinquency (think DARE drug program) Intervention: prevent at-risk youth from delinquency (Think boyz n the hood or Scared straight)

Question 28

cycle of juvenile reform

Answer 28

JDA - 1908 * Welfare model * Parens Patriae * Informal, rehabilitation Too soft YOA - 1984 * Justice model * Due process * Balancing rights & justice Still too soft YCJA - 2003 * Crime control model * Protect society; maintain order * Restorative principles * Bifurcated system Still too “soft”, especially for serious offenders Bill C-10 - 2012 * Harsher crime control model * Denunciation & deterrence Is it still too “soft”?