Category: Sociology (Page 1 of 22)

I. Introduction

            Youth crime is increasingly becoming a problem in the United States (NCWD 3). This problem cuts across all genders and racial/ethnic groups. Factors increasing the chances of young people committing crime include; family conflict, availability of drugs, substance abuse, peer pressure, parental criminality, lack of supervision, low social status, poor educational attainment, community disorganization, and lack of social commitment. Reports indicate that up to 2 million juveniles commit a crime annually. These young offenders are arrested and charged for their offences, and more than 33,000 juveniles were incarcerated in 2017 (Schlesinger 60). The judicial system intends to maintain order by punishing and rehabilitating young offenders. However, studies show that youth who come into contact with the justice system experience adverse outcomes, including disengagement from school, school disciplinary problems and academic failure (Fan 2). Therefore, there are calls to prevent teenagers from getting involved with the police and judicial system using initiatives like youth diversion programs. Youth diversion programs protect teenagers from the adverse effects of judicial system involvement. They affect the crime rate by reducing recidivism or the chances of a teenager involved in the judicial system to reoffend.