This study seeks to understand how school processes affect disproportionate minority contact within the Hardin County Juvenile Justice System. A study completed by Lovell and Drummond (2016) in conjunction with the Hardin County BRIDGES Council, is used as the foundation for the current research. The original research, along with several others, examined disproportionate minority contact (DMC) after the student had been referred from their respective schools to the juvenile court system. The current study investigates 858 juvenile court records, with permission of the Hardin County Juvenile Judges, and examines school information included in the court records related to the student in correlation to race. School data was collected from the court cases to identify points of DMC that begin within the school system, which ultimately led to their referral to the juvenile court system.

The rise in the number of Black, male, incarcerated, rural youth and the retributive juvenile justice system is a prominent problem in the United States, creating a revolving door for youth in conflict with the law. Restorative justice is an alternative approach that diverts youth from court and focus on rehabilitation, but lacks sufficient experiential evidence from those involved in the process to support broader implementation. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of restorative justice arbitrators and the role they play in facilitating resolution of youth criminal charges in a rural setting in a southern U.S. state. The research question asked how restorative justice arbitrators perceive and explain their roles, and successes and failures of a restorative justice process with Black male rural youth. The theoretical framework for the study was Braithwaite's reintegrative shaming, which posits the significance of the immediate family and community in rehabilitation. In this multicase study, research data were collected from semistructured interviews of 4 rural restorative justice arbitrators and analyzed using content analysis. Themes that emerged from the analysis were: the key role of rural community involvement in holding youths accountable to victims for their actions, preventing youths from developing a criminal record, and redirecting youth away from incarceration and more toward the community wellbeing. These findings contribute to social change by informing those working with youth crime about implications for the field of restorative justice specifically related to the opportunity for communities to provide benefits not only for juvenile offenders but also for victims and the community as a whole.

Personal characteristics of mental health professionals can impact their attitudes toward juvenile sex offenders (JSOs) and affect treatment. The correlation between mental health professionals' religiosity and their attitudes has not been examined, and there is limited research about the correlation between professionals' gender and attitudes. The purpose of this study was to examine how mental health professionals' religiosity and gender related to their attitudes toward JSO treatment. Labeling theory provided the theoretical foundation for this study. This theory posits that individuals label certain populations, such as sex offenders, as deviant and this labeling perpetuates a cycle of criminal behavior. Using a quantitative approach, 123 mental health professionals completed an Internet survey that included demographic information, the Santa Clara Strength of Religious Faith Questionnaire, and the Attitudes Toward Treatment of Sex Offenders survey. These served to identify gender and measure religiosity and attitudes toward JSO treatment. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was then used to examine the research questions and hypotheses. There were no statistically significant findings about how participants' religiosity and gender relate to their attitudes toward JSO treatment. However, further analyses revealed that type of profession and race of the participants affected their attitudes toward treatment. The findings can guide training programs to educate professionals that personal characteristics may affect their attitudes toward treatment. The potential for social change is that professionals' increased awareness may improve treatment effectiveness, which might ultimately lower offenders' recidivism and increase protection for the public.

This research is focused on evaluation of National Strategy Against Narcotics (NSAN) enacted in 2012 in Kosovo. The purpose of this study was to understand the impact of NSAN through visualizing data and gaining deeper insight from experiences of antidrug experts. Convergent parallel mixed methods were used to answer the main research questions. The central research questions examined the impact of strategy implementation in juvenile drug arrest reduction, and its effectiveness on Kosovo criminal justice system. Markwood's comprehensive theory of substance abuse prevention (CTSAP) was used to assess and explore the NSAN. Deidentified juvenile arrest rates taken from Kosovo official police records, were visualized though a scatterplot to show the impact of arrest rates from 2009 to 2015. On qualitative part, 11 antidrug officers who handled juvenile drug arrest cases were in-depth interviewed. Visualized data showed that NSAN did not decrease juvenile drug arrest rates after its implementation, as the juvenile drug arrest rates increased after its implementation. However, participants in this study perceived NSAN as positive, with positive impact in increasing cooperation between other agencies, thus resulting in more arrests. Interview answers received from participants of the study confirmed Markwood's CTSAP. Overall, mixed results came out of this study, and further research is needed with wider scope of data analysis to fully evaluate the effects of this strategy. NSAN itself did not have desired impact in reducing juvenile drug arrests in Kosovo, but analysis of this strategy brought attention of increasing juvenile drug issues in Kosovo.

Early involvement in delinquent behavior coupled with large academic deficiencies increase the chances of long-term offending over a lifetime. A 2012 Texas report on recidivism rates and types of judicial-related programs offered showed that 1-year reoffense rates for youth in secure placement rose slightly from 41.9% in 2007 to 43.3% in 2010. The primary purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine how a Texas-based juvenile probation department coordinated services to address the needs of incarcerated juveniles who are at risk of school failure and recidivism. Maslow's hierarchy of needs framework and Moffitt's developmental classification framework served as the conceptual framework for this study. This case study specifically examined the residential, education, and executive staff's perceptions on addressing school failure and recidivism and how division staff collaborates to provide educational services and behavioral modifications to youth between the ages of 10-13. Staff interviews provided personal perceptions of these collaborative services. The study triangulated data from interviews with three subsets (residential, education, and administration) of the juvenile department that included 4 juvenile administrators and 8 line staff members. Interview data were recorded, coded, and analyzed to identify common themes and perceptions. Identifying effective programs for delinquent youth who are chronic offenders is critical to their successful return to their home schools and can motivate a positive social change in behavior. My research findings indicated that when juvenile probation departments utilize effective collaboration of services with a holistic approach it can result in positive changes in behavior that decrease recidivism and school failure in delinquent youth.

Although police generally exercise wide discretionary powers across most of their duties, it is with respect to young people that these powers are the most extensive. Both sociological and psychological factors influence the use of police discretionary powers. There are said to be strong relationships between authoritarianism, for example, and justice outcomes. Other measures, such as cynicism and punitiveness, have been observed to be influential predictors of police behaviour. Extending the work on jury decision-making, along with other police research, the present research examines use of police discretionary powers with young offenders. Sworn police officers from two jurisdictions, New Zealand and New South Wales, responded to written surveys about their past and intended future behaviour surrounding four crimes most commonly conducted by young offenders. In all, over 500 officers took part in the studies. Further, participants responded to a battery of personality and attitude questionnaires, along with questions about situational variables normally taken into consideration by officers. Results show that police behaviour towards the same offending varies greatly, both within and across jurisdictions. New Zealand police officers were much more likely than New South Wales police officers to report that they diverted, rather than arrested, young offenders who had committed shoplifting and burglary offences. However, when responding to scenarios of underage drinking and assault, it was New South Wales police who were more likely to divert young offenders. There were very few significant relationships between attitudes and behaviour when examining either group, with significant results possibly being a side effect of large sample sizes. Further there were few significant relationships when considering demographic or situational variables. However, in an exploration of police personality, through cluster analysis, evidence was found for different 'typologies', or resonances, of police. The results indicate that police are not an homogenous group. In addition, quite complex relationships between measures of police behaviour and individual difference were found within the resonances, with effect sizes showing moderate results. The findings support the need to investigate further personality typologies and extend them to the examination of attitude-behaviour relationships. In addition, research into the use of an attitudinal measure, such as discretionary ideology, as an alternative to measuring behaviour could be expanded. Moreover, broadening of the research into additional areas of the juvenile justice systems, such as legal representatives, magistrates, and youth detention centre officers, would provide further insight into the appropriate use of discretion within juvenile justice for both minor offending and more serious offending. / thesis (PhDBusinessandManagement)--University of South Australia, 2004.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the types of behaviors juvenile sexual offenders participate in and inflict on animals, and compare them to the behaviors of youths involved in other types of crimes, and youths not involved in any criminal activity. A total of 654 juvenile males participated in the study and were included for data analysis. Participants were recruited in two phases. The first phase gathered participants from two treatment centers, and the second phase collected data from students enrolled in undergraduate classes at a public southeastern university. All participating youths were then divided into five categories: non-offenders, non-violent offenders, sexual offenders, violent offenders and youths who committed both violent and sexual offenses (violent/sex offenders). Results indicated the overall relationship between group membership and bestiality was statistically significant, χ2(4)=26.62, p< .001. Further analysis revealed that there was a statistically significant difference between sex offenders (18.9%) and non-violent offenders (3.9%), Z=3.29, p<.05; sex offenders (18.9%) and non-offenders (2.4%), Z=4.30, p<.05; and violent/sex offenders (18.2%) and non-offenders (2.4%), Z=2.14, p<.05. Additionally, an overall test of the relationship between physical violence and group membership were also statistically significant, χ2(4)=36.42, p<.001. Further analysis revealed that there was a statistically significant difference between violent/sex offenders (90.9%) and non-offenders (31.4%), Z=3.78, p<.05; violent/sex offenders (90.9%) and non-violent offenders (50.8%), Z=2.30, p<.05; violent/sex offenders (90.9%) and sex offenders (51.4%), Z=2.00, p<.05; violent offenders (53.8%) and non-offenders (31.4%), Z=2.974, p<.05; sex offenders (51.4%) and non-offenders (31.4%), Z=2.235, p<.05; and non-offenders (31.4%) and non-violent offenders (50.8%), Z=4.545, p<.05. Because of a low response rate, the temporal order of sexual offenses against humans and sexual behavior with animals was not able to be determined in this study. As for the temporal order of physical violence to people and animals, no statistically significant difference was found regarding the order of violence perpetrated against humans and animals.

The effects of the toxic dinoflagellate, karenia brevis (Wilson clone), on larval survival and development of the northern quahog (=hard clam, Mercenaria mercenaria), eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) and bay scallop (Argopecten irradians) were studied in the laboratory. The effects of K. brevis on feeding activities of juveniles from these species plus the green mussel (Perna viridis) were also examined. Finally, adult bay scallops were exposed to K. brevis for two weeks to investigate possible cytotoxic effects. Survival of 3-day-old larvae was generally > 85% for all shellfish species at Karenia brevis densities of 100 cells . ml-1 or less, and not significantly different between whole and lysed culture. At 1,000 cells . ml-1, survival was significantly less in lysed culture than whole culture for both M. mercenaria and C. virginica. Survival of 7-day-old larvae in all species was not significantly affected at densities up to 1,000 cells . ml-1. At 5,000 cells . ml-1, however, survival was reduced to 37, 26 and 19% for A. irradians, M. mercenaria and C. virginica, respectively. Development of C. virginica and M. mercenaria larvae was protracted at K. brevis densities of 1,000 cells . ml-1. Clearance rates of juveniles were determined under static and flow-through conditions using whole and lysed cultures of K. brevis. The bay scallop was most sensitive, exhibiting a 79% reduction in clearance rate at 1,000 cells . ml-1 of whole culture. The eastern oyster was least responsive, showing a 38% reduction in clearance rate between the same treatments. The green mussel and the northern quahog displayed intermediate responses. Similar results were observed during longer (2 day) exposures to a continuous supply of K. brevis. Bay scallops showed a significant decline in clearance rate at 100 cells . ml-1 after 24 hr exposure; clearance rate of oysters was not affected by K. brevis at this concentration. No mortality was observed for any species during these brief exposures. Adult bay scallops exposed to K. brevis for two weeks showed degenerative and inflammatory changes in the digestive gland, including reduced thickness of the epithelium, increased size of digestive tubule lumens and hemocytic infiltration. The prospect for recovery of bay scallop populations in Florida may be hampered by recurring blooms of K. brevis.

Social learning theory continues to be one of the most enduring theories of crime. Psychological criminology, on the other hand, tends to explain crime in terms of behavioral propensities. This research is specifically focused on the generality of social learning theory as it varies across a measure of criminal propensity- in this case, psychopathy. Prior studies have tested various theories with the use of measures of propensity, but the theory is rarely social learning, and the measure of propensity has never been psychopathy. The current study examines three components of social learning theory (definitions, differential association, and differential reinforcement) to determine whether or not its influence is dependent on an individual's level of psychopathy. Data used in this research is from the Pathways to Desistance Project, a serious juvenile delinquent sample. Standard ordinary least-squares and Tobit regressions (a method of analyses designed to correct for linear relationships between variables when there is censoring in the dependent variable) are modeled. Results indicate that definitions, differential association, differential reinforcement, and both measures of psychopathy exerted significant main effects on antisocial behavior. In addition, the social learning variables interacted differently across varying levels of psychopathy. Conclusions and policy implications for future social science research are discussed within.

Nepilnamečių nusikalstamumas ir jo priežastys buvo, yra ir bus aktuali kiekvienos valstybės diskusijų tema. Nuolatos ieškoma naujų ir alternatyvių būdų, prevencinių priemonių, galinčių sustabdyti nepilnamečių nusikalstamumo plitimą. Šiame magistro darbe nagrinėjama nepilnamečių socialinės dezadaptacijos samprata ir veiksniai bei jų ryšys su nusikaltimo padarymu. Mokslinės literatūros analizės pagrindu išskirti esminiai nepilnamečių socialinės dezadaptacijos mikroveiksniai (šeima, mokykla, neformalios bendraamžių grupės) bei makroveiksniai (valstybė ir joje priimami politiniai sprendimai, masinės informavimo priemonės). Pastebėta, jog socialinė dezadaptacija, apimanti įvairias grupes mikro ir makroveiksnių, yra viena nusikaltimo padarymo priežasčių. Nusikaltimas – socialinės dezadaptacijos išraiška. Į nepilnamečių resocializacijos procesą taip pat žvelgiama pro socialinės dezadaptacijos prizmę. Analizuojami kai kurių Lietuvoje taikomų resocializacinių priemonių probleminiai aspektai. Tyrimo objektas lėmė, jog didžiausias dėmesys skiriamas laisvės atėmimo bausmei. Sociologinio tyrimo Kauno nepilnamečių tardymo izoliatoriuje – pataisos namuose pagalba siekta išsiaiškinti, kokie socialinės dezadaptcaijos veiksniai turėjo didžiausią įtaką nuteistojo elgesiui bei kokią įtaką laisvės atėmimo bausmė, kaip resocializacinio poveikio priemonė, turi socialinės dezadaptacijos veiksnių pašalinimui arba jų daromo poveikio nepilnamečiui sumažinimui. Remiantis mokslinės literatūros analize... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Juvenile criminality and its causes were, are and will be an important theme for discussion for each of the states. People are constantly seeking for some new alternative methods and preventive measures that could stop the spread of juvenile criminality. In this Master thesis author familiarizes with a concept of juveniles social desadaptation and its main reasons also with the impact and relations of social desadaptation and crimes. The main micro elements (like family, school and informal groups of contemporaries) and macro elements (like mass communication and the state with its politic decisions) were separated and based on the analysis of relating scholastic literature. Furthermore, author noticed that the social desadaptation, which involves various micro and macro elements, is one of the causes to make a crime. A crime is considered as the expression of the social desadaptation. This thesis also provides with a new view to the resocialization process of the delinquent juveniles. Author looks into resocialization through a prism of social desadaptation. The most important of problematic aspects of currently existing resocialization measures have been analyzed. A sociological research was done in Penitentiary and Inquisitional Isolator of Kaunas in order to sort out what kind of impact to juvenile resocialization custodial sentence could provide and how it can minimize the effects of the elements of juvenile social desadaptation. On the ground of scholastic literature... [to full text]