Risk factors of recidivism among Juvenile Offenders
Leverso, J., W. Bielby and L. F. Hoelter. “Back on the streets: Maturation and risk factors for recidivism among serious juvenile offenders.” Journal of adolescence 41 (2015): 67-75. Article. Doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2015.02.008
The article researches on the impact of social and cognitive factors on juvenile offenders and the successive impacts that the cognitive development of the adolescents affects the primary social and cognitive factors over time. In order to attain this research objective, the researchers focused the research on 1,992 adolescents aged between 14 and 18 years old. The initial research focused on the previous researches, which pointed out that social and cognitive factors are triggers for the occurrence of delinquency behavior among the youths. However, the previous research did not point out whether the same factors are triggers for recidivism among the juveniles. Among the variables used in the development of the research include perception of risk, peer pressure, and impulsiveness of the youths selected in the research. The control variables for the research includes the race/ ethnicity, gender, parental education, location, father presence, age, gang membership, neighborhood condition, and familial support. The substantive predictor variables for the research included future orientation, peer influence, perceptions of risk, and impulsiveness. In terms of methodology, the researchers applied descriptive statistics to define the participants and categorize them in terms of variables being investigated in the research. A multivariate statistics was also conducted to compare the standard and varied outcomes of the result while basing on predicted factors of research. The findings from the research pointed out that the impact of social and cognitive developmental factors are more pronounced in younger juveniles who are delinquent as compared to older adolescents. However, as they get older, the development factors play a huge role in the prediction of crime. Impulsiveness was a major factor for continued engagement in criminal activity among the juvenile delinquents irrespective of age. The researchers concluded that impulsive youths do not have self-control, which increases their rate of committing crime due to the gratification it provides for desires. Peer influence is also one of the risk factors that were found to have been a trigger for the involvement of the youths in crime. However, the background of an individual does not dictate their involvement in crime. At the same time, lack of familial support is a huge trigger for the involvement in crime among the teenagers. Lastly, the researchers pointed out those developmental factors such as age have a small impact on the occurrence of crime among the teenagers and the future possibility of engaging in crime.
Ryan, J. P., A. B. Williams and M. E. Courtney. “Adolescent neglect, juvenile delinquency and the risk of recidivism.” Journal of youth and adolescence 42.3 (2013): 454-465. Article. Doi: 10.1007/s10964-013-9906-8
This article sought to investigate the increased rate of criminal activity among teenagers who have been neglected and faced child abuse in their early years of development and possible impact of these initial factors on their future involvement in crime. The total numbers of participants in the study were 19,833 with a diversified approach to the population involved where 24% female, 13% African Americans, 8% Hispanics, and 5% Native Americans. The populations included in the research were categorized as moderate and high risk offenders. The categorization of the offenders was attained using the official records from the official records provided by the child protection. From the current research considered as the basis for the research, the researchers attained the hypothesis that considered that there is likelihood for recidivism among crossover and dually involved youth. The hypothesis considers that dually involved youths are at a higher risk for recidivism as compared to the crossover youths. The variables for research were then categorized into static and dynamic variables. The static factors are defined as the historical life events that do not easily change over time. In contrast, the dynamic factors are considered as the factors that have the ability to change over time. The variables under study in the study included family, alcohol, criminal history, school, peers, alcohol/ drugs, mental health, attitudes, and behaviors. The methods applied in the evaluation of the data include cross-tabulation and t-tests that were used to explore the difference between three determined delinquency groups sampled from the selected participants. According to the findings from the research, a huge number of adolescents are in the juvenile system due to neglect. The dually involved adolescents are significantly more likely to recommit a crime or be involved in another form of crime even after arrest. At the same time, crossover youths with closed neglect cases with child welfare showed a reduced rate of recidivism.
References
Leverso, J., W. Bielby and L. F. Hoelter. “Back on the streets: Maturation and risk factors for recidivism among serious juvenile offenders.” Journal of adolescence 41 (2015): 67-75. Article. Doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2015.02.008
Ryan, J. P., A. B. Williams and M. E. Courtney. “Adolescent neglect, juvenile delinquency and the risk of recidivism.” Journal of youth and adolescence 42.3 (2013): 454-465. Article. Doi: 10.1007/s10964-013-9906-8