JUVENILE JUSTICE Chapter 3 Growth and Development The First 18 Years.

JUVENILE JUSTICE

Chapter 3

Growth and Development

The First 18 Years

INFLUENCES ON CHILD’S GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

• Community– Police, Courts, Corrections, Businesses,

Church, Gangs, Youth Groups, Neighbors, Civic Groups, Health Care Providers

• School– Teachers, Peers, Counselors, Co-curricular

Activities

• Family– Parents, Siblings, Relatives

INFLUENCES ON CHILD’S GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

• JC jurisdiction over youth varies in states according to age: 15 years (3 States), 16 years (10 States) 17 years (38 States, including Hawaii)

What Children need for Healthy Growth and Development

• Choices and challenges: Opportunity to learn, explore and stretch their limits

• Healthy and safe surroundings: Feel secure and protected• Independence: Develop own personality and self-confidence-know

others have faith in them• Love: Know that they are loved, physically and emotionally• Direction: Know rules and boundaries and consequences for their

actions• Respect and recognition: Respected for who they are and praised

for their accomplishments• Encouragement: Supported and helped to grow and develop• Nurtured: Attention to their mental and emotional needs as well as

nutritional needs

TV VIOLENCE

• Violence On TV leads to aggressive behaviors in children– Children become less sensitive to pain and

suffering around them– May be more fearful of world– More likely to behave in aggressive or harmful

ways towards others

INDIVIDUAL RISK FACTORS

• Early antisocial behavior

• High behavioral activation

• Low behavioral inhibitions

• Labeling– Self-fulfilling prophecies

CHILDREN LIVING IN POVERTY

• 11 million children living in poverty (2000)• 55.5% in single parent homes headed by mothers• Very young black and Hispanic children• Economic Deprivation= malnutrition and psychological

ills• Homelessness

– Depression and mother/child bonding– Developmentally delayed– Behavioral problems

• Increased risk of lead poisoning– Increased impulsiveness, restlessness and aggression– Under-weight infants and under-developed

SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN

• Emotionally and Behaviorally Disturbed– Severe aggression, or impulsiveness– Severely withdrawn– Mood swings– Disordered thought process

• Attention Deficit Disorder– Heightened motor activity– Short attention span– Impulsiveness– Interferes with learning– Boys with ADHD high-risk for delinquency

SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN

• Alcohol and Drug Exposed– Cognitive problems– Low birth weight– Disabilities in both gross & fine motor control– Decrease in muscle strength– Learning disabilities– Mental Retardation– Language Delays

SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN

• Learning Disabilities– Deficits in Learning abilities– Short attention span– Poor memory– Difficulty following directions– Inadequate ability to distinguish between numbers,

letters or sounds– Eye-hand coordination problems– Discipline Problems– High-risk for Drop-out

SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN• HIV Exposed

– Experience deficits in fine and gross motor skills– Reduced flexibility and muscle strength– Cognitive impairment– Learning disabilities– Mental retardation

• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)– 1-2/1,000 born in the U.S.– Abnormal facial features– Growth retardation– Problems with central nervous system

• Fetal Alcohol Effect (FAE)– Facial Features look normal, but children experience

same problems as FAS

LABELING & SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECIES

• Positive vs Negative communication toward child

• Experiments: Brilliant, Average, Below-Average

• Consequences of Labeling– Self-fulfilling prophesy “you are what you

think you are”

ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT

• See Page 83 for details• Early Adolescence (10-12 years)

– Physical: Puberty starts (rapid growth), usually starts two years earlier for Girls

– Cognitive: Inconsistent thoughts, Shifts from immature to mature thinking

– Emotional: Seeks independence, wants control in decision making

– Social: Has desire to “fit in” to be well liked, groups form, wants no adult supervision, peer pressure begins

ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT

• Middle Adolescence (13-15– Physical Development: Puberty continues, boys have

growth spurts, Acne and body order, poor eating habits develop, Aware & sensitive of peers’ growth dev.

– Cognitive: Abstract Thinking begins, Problem solving, analytical thinking & writing deficient, Girls begin failing, peer conformity

– Emotional: Craves freedom, Good at masking feelings, Intense desire for privacy, increased sexual desires, needs praise

– Social: Friendships and romance, realizes other points of view, moral reasoning, development of self-concept, meaningful relationships with peers and adults

ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT

• Late Adolescence (16 + years)– Physical: Boys’ growth doubled since 12 yrs. Old,

Appetite increased, Eating Disorders may appear– Cognitive: Critical thinking and reasoning, Wants to

make own decisions, develop own beliefs, values, career choices, increased peer conformity

– Emotional: Personal identity, self esteem continues to dev., decision making, coping skills and problem solving, worries about life, mature friendships, generally strong ties with family

– Social: Independence developed and demonstrated, susceptibility to peer pressure declines, cooperation increases, begins forming heterosexual groups, same-sex relationships strengthen, after-school work, social causes

ADOLESCENCE

• Development of Early Offending Behaviors– Lack of family life– Boredom, loneliness– Low attachment to community or school– Deviant peers or peer rejection can influence

non-delinquent youth to become delinquent

ADOLESCENCE

• Alcohol and Other Drugs had direct correlation with delinquency

• Majority of adolescents coming into JJS had history of substance use

• Problems with family, academic difficulties, health and poor peer relations

• Juvenile drug use is related to chronic use and violence that continues onto adulthood

ADOLESCENCE

• U.S. has the highest rates of teen pregnancy than other industrialized countries

• 4/10 girls get pregnant before age 20• Teen mothers less likely to complete high school

and end up on welfare• Teen births have increased risk of low-birth

weight and pre-maturity, mental retardation, poverty, growing-up w/o father

• Created a class of poor young women• Evidence of intergenerational transfer of poverty

INFLUENCE OF FAMILY

• Family is the first teacher– Values, Morals and models of behavior– Healthy family life produces high self-esteem,

good communication skills, good attitudes towards others and the world

– Children in families with high levels of parental efficacy are low risk for delinquency

– Inadequate parenting are predictors of antisocial behaviors

INFLUENCE OF FAMILY

Common Values passed on to youth include:

Equality

Honesty

Promise-keeping

Respect

Responsibility

Self-control

INFLUENCE OF FAMILY

Behavioral problems associated with:

High-level of parent/child conflict

Poor monitoring

Low-level of parent involvement

Discipline Practices

INFLUENCE OF FAMILY

• Census Bureau Identified 6 Risk Factors for Delinquency– Poverty– Welfare Dependence– Absent Parents– One-parent Families– Unwed mothers– Parents who have not completed High school

Influence of Schools

• Children who succeed in school have greater possibility of succeeding in life

• Peer approval and acceptance more important to adolescents than approval of parents or teachers

• Truancy is high indicator that child is at risk for delinquent behaviors

Influence of Schools

• Student responses to School Failure– Truancy– Joining Gangs– Dropping-out– Drinking– Doing Drugs– Delinquent Behaviors– Suicide Ideation

• Attitudes toward Public Schools – # 1 Lack of Financial Support– # 2 Lack of Discipline

PROBLEMS IN SCHOOLS

• Substance Use – (6-25% under influence of alcohol or marijuana)

• Bullying– 8% students reported being bullied (2000)

• Crime & Violence– 1.9 million violent or theft in schools (2000)– 59/1,000 in 1993 to 26/1,000 in 2000

• Zero Tolerance– Pre-determined consequences for offenses in schools

STUDENT RIGHTS IN SCHOOLS

• Students have full Constitutional Rights in Schools– Rights against illegal search and seizure– Freedom of Speech– HOWEVER

• U.S. SUPREME COURT REQUIRES THAT SCHOOLS ACTIONS IN RESTRICTING STUDENTS’ RIGHTS BE RELATED TO REASONABLE PEDIGOGICAL CONCERNS

STUDENT RIGHTS IN SCHOOLS

– BETHEL SCHOOL DISTRICT #403 V FRASER

• Schools and prohibit vulgar language and offensive terms in public discourse (Candidate for Graduation Speaker)

– NEW JERSEY VS TLO• Schools can make rules for the administration of

the school (US Supreme Court) (Marijuana Dealer)

Influence of the Community

• Community Protective Factors– Healthy communities have financial support– Access to community services & activities– Good community involvement

• Community Domain Risk Factors– Disadvantaged or disorganized

neighborhoods– Contain delinquent peer groups– Easy access to drugs and weapons

Full-Service Community Schools

• Open seven days a week

• Open to students, families and community members

• Addresses educational, physical and mental health needs

• Financed through the partnership of the school system and one or more community agencies

Full-Service Community Schools

• All (students, families, teachers, college students and faculty, businesses) work together to implement a plan for transforming school into child-centered institution

• Health Services: immunizations or dentistry may be provided