Abstract
In this article, the writer discusses whether or not drastic changes in legislation and criminal codes are necessary, given the actual statistics concerning youth violence. The writer notes that many sociological and criminological researchers have published studies on the actual statistics concerning youth crime, and it is these statistics that must be examined prior to determining whether or not changes to the criminal code, such as charging young offenders as adults, are warranted and necessary. The writer maintains that the true danger in America today posed to children is not other children, but instead, family violence, adult on child violence, and gun violence. The writer concludes that increasing the punishments for youthful offenders, therefore, will do very little to solve the problems of youth crime or youth violence, as these are not truly the greatest crime threats in America today.

From the Paper
"Critics argue that in order to protect society it is necessary to have harsh sentencing that shows children and adults alike that criminal behaviour is unacceptable. These critics argue that the purpose of sentencing should not be rehabilitation and they do not view rehabilitation as being possible or desirable. Instead, these critics prefer to seek vengeance on criminals and put very little thought into the future outcomes of such actions. Perhaps this would reduce crime, but history has shown that it does not reduce it by very much. In fact, unless you can lock up each offender for life, which is in some places crippling the financial affairs of some states, you are simply contributing to the creation of super criminals who learn how to better defy the law while locked up."

Tags:rehabilitation, justice, system, punishments

Abstract
The paper discusses the flaws in traditional court systems and juvenile justice courts alike and then shows how alternative adjudication, restoration and rehabilitative processes have proven to have positive outcomes in reducing recidivism. The paper focuses on peer courts, family group counselling (FGC) and the Behavior Management Through Adventure project (BMTA). The paper considers the past and potential recidivism rates for youth processed through the juvenile justice system, and opines that if our goal is to impact crime rates and provide hope for future generations, a punitive approach should never be the first method of control.

From the Paper
"The criminal justice system has grappled with various approaches to dealing with delinquency and fluctuated over time with prevention methods, limiting or altering exposure to formal courts systems, rehabilitative, restorative, or retributive strategies. Preventative measures have typically been community-based, non-justice turf approaches aimed at teaching children the woes of deviance and directing them in more healthy lifestyles. Alternative adjudication processes have diverted youth away from traditional stigmatizing systems that serve to reinforce the deviant label. In attempting to develop a suitable sentencing structure for deviant youth, three basic approaches have evolved: the retributive or punitive perspective that maintains a stance based on just deserts and argues a tough-on-crime agenda as a means of effectively dealing with delinquency. Another is the rehabilitative approach, which focuses on repairing behavioral conditions and creating individuals who contribute positively to society; while restorative justice perspectives seek resolution between offenders and victims."

Tags:alternative, adjudication, restoration, rehabilitation, recidivism, peer, courts

Abstract
This paper reviews T. L. Gilman and S.C. Haden's article "Understanding and Treating the Juvenile Fire Setter: A Review". The paper explains that the article provides a very exploration of juvenile fire setting, its onset, broad causative factors, motivations and forms of treatment. The paper discusses how the article considers curiosity, pathology, a means of self-expression, and deviance as key motivators for recidivist fire setting behaviors. After reviewing the article, the paper concludes that, if intercepted early enough, children will understand the consequences of such acts and create less damaging alternative responses while addressing their needs.

From the Paper
"Gilman and Haden (2006) provide a very thorough exploration of juvenile fire setting, its onset, broad causative factors, motivations, and forms of treatment. The article considers curiosity, pathology, a means of self-expression, and deviance as key motivators for recidivist fire setting behaviors. Accordingly, curious fire setters are intrigued by fire and its entrancing nature. Pathological fire setters are motivated by uncontrolled urges or obsessions. Children who set fires as a form of expression, are argued to be seeking attention, and deviant or delinquent fire setters are seeking revenge or a means of harming others in some way. They identify contributing factors as discord in the home, repressed emotions, and poor social skills."

Tags:conduct, disorder, pyromania, deviance, triggers, safety

Abstract
This paper reviews the statistics and empirical data concerning the perceived increase in youth crime. The paper examines reasons why crime has not actually increased. The paper provides a focus on Canadian crime and the Young Offender's Act (YOA), outlining the many changes evident since the implementation of the YOA. The writer illustrates how varying police procedures effect the statistics available of youth violence.

From the Paper
"The topic of youth violence and the debate within the public realm as to whether or not it is increasing, both in quantity and severity, is a highly complex and disputed question. If a friend of mine asked me to address this issue, I would recount to them the issues revolving crime statistics and analysis, the tendency for statistics to be misrepresented by the media, and the differing opinions of scholars within the field."

Tags:delinquency, juvenile, media, offender, statistics, law, police, arrests

Abstract
The paper shows that perhaps the greatest misconceptions that are held by the Canadian public relating to youth crime are in regard to the actual crime rates. Canadians tend to drastically overestimate both the occurrence and severity of youth crime, as well as crime in general. It describes how Canadians believe that crime rates have increased, that the proportion of violent crime is greater than the facts would suggest, and that the crime rate in Canada is equal to or worse than the crime rate of the United States. The paper investigates the need to improve the awareness of public policy makers to the actual crime rate, especially among the youth, and shows that with such improvements, public policy makers will hopefully be more confident in their considerations of public perception when creating effective legislation that protects and represents society.

From the Paper
"Public Policy, by definition, is policy that is made to protect, serve, and represent society as a whole. Ideally, public policy should adhere to the utilitarian goals of providing the most good to the greatest number of people, while making a concerted effort to protect minority interests. As with many political theories and entities, the ideal situation seldom becomes reality, as has been the case with crime related public policy in Canada. It often appears that public policy is created to satisfy the short-term demands of the public and to secure the greatest number of votes for the greatest number of elected representatives."

Tags:act, alternative, crime, measures, offenders, violence, young

Abstract
This paper discusses the idea that a program focused on deterring separation and divorce, will eventually lead to a decrease in juvenile delinquency. The paper illustrates the evident link between broken homes and increased rates of criminal offense, but emphasizes that this is only one of many issues which can be equally predictive of delinquency. The paper provides a more comprehensive solution to the problem, that of a family intervention program. This program is briefly outlined.

From the Paper
"According to Juby and Farrington (2001), research concerning the impact of marital breakdown on the delinquency rates of juveniles has increased dramatically since the 1960s. While studies do show a definite link between broken homes and increased rates of criminal offending, the data is not substantial enough to warrant a program that should be focused on deterring separation and divorce. The majority of studies in this area point to single parent homes being one of many factors contributing to increased delinquency, and also show that high conflict two-parent homes can be equally predictive of delinquency (Juby & Farrington, 2001). It, therefore, appears that family intervention programs would better serve the goal of decreased crime rates if one were to focus on increasing parental engagement in the lives of their children, reducing family conflict and violence, and early intervention programs that provide support and education to families in need."

Tags:crime, education, intervention, prevention, juvenile, delinquency, divorce

Abstract
This paper examines A. Blumstein's article, "Youth, Guns, and Violent Crime", and relates that this article addresses the particular vulnerability and over-representation of youth in crimes involving violence. The paper discusses Blumstein's correlation between youth involved violent crime trends during the 1980s and 1990s, and trends in gun access and drug marketing peaks during these years. Also discussed are the three factors Blumstein sees as the reason for the eventual decline in youth violence since 2000. In addition, the paper looks at the belief held by many criminologists that early exposure to guns and other forms of violence produces violent criminal behaviour throughout life. Lastly, the paper notes that a consistent theme applied in intercepting urban violence is to fortify both the justice system and social development programs.

From the Paper
"Blumstein (2002) explains the decisions to engage in violence in terms of the form and level of previous exposure an individual has to surrounding violent conditions. He discusses the particular vulnerability and over-representation of youth in crimes involving violence, and attributes current trends of violent crimes to drug addiction, drug market involvement, and increased access and utilization of lethal weapons. He further challenges the concept of "superpredators", a presumed breed of ruthless youth, destined for reckless, violent lifestyles. This breed of predators is argued to be helplessly predisposed to violent acts without hope of intervention (Blumstein, 2002)."

Tags:guns, drugs, street, gangs, upbringing

Abstract
This paper aims at researching boot camps in an effort to go beyond the overly simplistic media portrayal, to clarify the who, what, when, where and why of the issue. The paper illustrates all the issues involved in the designing of a successful boot camp which will allow for maximal societal adjustment of juvenile criminals and minimal recidivism. The writer outlines the effectiveness and ineffectiveness of boot camps and discusses the future of boot camps.

Table of Contents
Introduction
The History of Juvenile Boot Camps
What is a Boot Camp?
Why Do Juvenile Boot Camps Exist?
Who Occupies Juvenile Boot Camps?
Where Are Juvenile Boot Camps?
Boot Camp Design
A Made-In-Ontario Solution: Canada's First Juvenile Boot Camp
Types of Offenders
Youth Demographics
Factors Associated with Delinquency
The Effectiveness of Boot Camps
The Ineffectiveness of Boot Camps
The Negative Impact of Boot Camps
Boot Camps as a Less Costly Alternative to Incarceration
Positive Impacts on Behavior
Aftercare
Public Response and Boot Camps
The Future of Boot Camps
Conclusion
References

From the Paper
"If the average North American were to rely solely on the media for accurate information about youth crime, we would have a continent of misinformed people. The media would like us to believe that there is an epidemic of youth crime despite extensive evidence to the contrary. This media attention, however inaccurate, has led the public to demand the justice system deal more harshly with young offenders. The result of this public outcry was the establishment of boot camps for juvenile offenders."

Tags:juvenile, offenders, jail, justice, violence, delinquency, therapy, recidivism, education

Abstract
In this article, the writer notes that it is often argued that juveniles are victims of circumstances and bad environments. Further, the writer points out that it is said that they come from "broken homes", "dysfunctional families", and "deteriorated neighborhoods" lacking any "internal community support". The writer discusses the relevance of this theory with the "rational" choice theory that criminal behavior is a matter of personal choice. The writer examines the issue of whether youths engage in criminal activities due to their dysfunctional environments or whether they thoughtfully plan, organize and rationalize their criminal activity. Social control and rational choice theories are compared to determine whether youths are victims of their environments or they specifically choose criminal activity regardless of their upbringings.

Outline:
Abstract
Introduction
Youth Development
Theories Examined
Social Control Theory
Rational Choice Theory
Conclusion

From the Paper
" Social control theory can provide explanations to why the majority of incarcerated youths are from poor environments. The theory is criticized for not explaining why juveniles from stable positive environments commit crimes. The concept of white collar criminals is somewhat contrary to social control theories. Youths have risen from poverty, dysfunctional families, poor schooling, deteriorated neighborhoods and criminal peers to become well functioning productive members of society. An unstable difficult environment does not necessarily produce juvenile delinquency as social control theorists would suggest. Numerous negative factors do affect whether a child becomes prone to criminal activity but there are no solid rules or clear explanations."

Tags:victims, environments, circumstances, punishment

Abstract
This paper examines the incidence and impact of cyber bullying. It defines bullying and discusses the most common forms of bullying as well as looks at the most common psychological affects of bullying on the victim. The paper specifically discusses the role of schools and teachers in preventing bullying from occurring and focuses on the need to educate the staff and students.

From the Paper
"In conclusion, if schools do not educate and provide on going mentoring and leadership, bullying can cause victims psychological harm such as depression, and suicide. Youth victimization has been proven to lead to delinquency among bullies and victims for example carrying weapons and violence on the streets. The theater in which bullying takes place is at home rather then at school, cyber bullying has become a growing problem and without education, and monitoring a child's behavior, bullies can exert their power over their victims causing scenarios such as cyber bullying by proxy. The number one way to avert bullying is to educate the staff and students, setting up seminars on bullying and ways to prevent it, as well as offering youth support and leadership, and following up on reports of bullying instances."

Tags:seminar, victim, depression