Prompt: Delinquency and violence among youth is commonplace in America. In order to determine where a majority of this problem resides, we need to determine the factors that contribute to delinquent behavior. What data source would you use to understand the delinquency and violence among youth (i.e., UCR, self report, development studies, observation, etc.)? In your response, be sure to describe why the source you have chosen is best suited to answer your questions.
Instructions: Students are expected to post one initial major response to the weekly discussion question and, at a minimum, one reply to at least one other student. Students may respond to as many posts as time allows. All responses should be written in a respectful, academic manner and meet the rubric set out in the syllabus to qualify for the appropriate letter grade. Use APA formatting for any quotations or citations you use to support your answer. Together, the initial post and reply post are worth 25 points.
Response 1:
Juveniles commit crimes for many reasons, just as adults do. There are several different data sources to help determine factors that play into criminal behavior of juveniles. With the information that has been collected, using age, sex, gender, and even social economic situations help with trying to find ways to help the juveniles out of trouble and keep everyone safe.
The UCR (Uniformed Crime Report), was created by the FBI in 1989. The FBI gathers data from over 18,000 law enforcement agencies, and represents 97% of the U.S. Now, the UCR takes the data and breaks it down into two parts: 1 is the crime index and 2 are the crimes. Part 1 breaks down the crime index even further, violent offences and property crimes. The UCR takes all the data and puts it into three categories: 1) known numbers and kinds of crimes, 2) how many arrest for the different crimes, and 3) characteristics of the offender (i.e. age, race, gender, where they live and the type of area). According to the UCR juvenile delinquency has been declining since the mid 1990’s. With all the data that is collected, it is still incomplete. The data does not include crimes that are not reported, or crimes that have been overlooked.
The Self-Reporting Studies is self-explanatory. The test subjects are asked to report their part in illegal behavior. This information that is gathered will help understand why the juvenile committed the crime and will possibly help with findings new ways to deter the juvenile from committing crimes. Another study is the Cohort study. That is when a certain group is study for a certain amount of time.
Development criminology focuses on changes in a person and group patterns in offending over time and understanding the factors that influence theses patterns. Terrie Moffitt has developed an approach to understanding the factors. She believes that neuropsychological and environmental factors affect a child’s behavior, temperament, and cognitive development. The combinations of the two leads to antisocial behavior, and these leads to delinquent behavior.
Observation study is when a researcher collects data by observing the subjects in a field setting. William Chambliss observed two different groups and named the groups Saints (middle-class males) and Roughnecks (lower-class males). A third party was shown the status of both groups. As a result, the Roughnecks were deemed to be arrested and formally processed by law enforcement.
I would choose UCR and Self-Reporting to obtain my data. The reason is the UCR does not include data that is not reported, and Self-Reporting may help with the data.
Elrod, Preston, and R. Scott Ryder. Juvenile Justice: a Social, Historical and Legal Perspective. Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2021.
