Factors Influencing Recidivism among Juvenile Offenders
Approved by:
_____________________________________
Spring 2021
Table of Contents
Title Page. 1
Table of Contents 2
Abstract ...... 3
Chapter One: Introduction... 4
Statement of the Problem............................................................................. 4
Justification of the Research 6
Purpose of the Research... 7
Chapter Two: Literature Review. 8
Variables Influencing the Risk of Recidivism .... 8
Unemployment and Recidivism.. 10
Gaps in Research. 12
Chapter Three: Theoretical Framework... 13
Social Learning Theory 13
Application in Research....... 13
Justification for Selected Theory 15
Chapter Four: Methodology 16
Project Deliverable.. 16
Rationale for Selected Deliverable.. 16
Sample Population... 17
Stakeholder Recruitment. 18
Methods of Obtaining Stakeholder Input.... 18
Additional Information 19
Chapter Five: Conclusion 20
Results 20
Relevance to Research Questions .. 21
Strengths and Limitations of Deliverable .. 22
Implications for Social Work Practice 23
References... 24
Appendices. 27
Appendix A Church Leaders Interview Guide ... 27
Appendix B Social Workers Interview Guide 28
Appendix C Juvenile Detention Center Staff Interview Guide.. 29
Appendix D Intervention Manual using TIDieR checklist 30
Abstract
The American Civil Liberties Union reports that nearly 60,000 youth under the age of 18 are incarcerated in the United States every day. Statistics indicate that 44 % of offenders are rearrested within the first year of their release, with juveniles making up 55 % of these rearrests. Incarceration negatively impacts the future of juveniles by interrupting their social systems. For this reason, it is prudent to bring more awareness to the issue by educating the public about factors that lead to incarceration and, by extension, recidivism, among juvenile offenders. The proposed study seeks to determine the factors that exacerbate recidivism risk among juvenile offenders and, consequently, develop an intervention manual to reduce this risk. The staff at the Durham County Youth Home (a juvenile detention center), church leaders from three local churches (New Hope, Grace Church of Durham, and World Overcomers Christian Church), and social workers from three local support organizations (Bull City Youth Support Group, the Boys and Girls Club of Durham, and the North Carolina Central University on-campus counseling Center and Men's Achievement Center) provided input and feedback on the factors influencing recidivism. From the stakeholders' feedback, an intervention manual for a 6-month residential after-care program for juvenile delinquents was developed to foster positive behavioral change and minimize the risk of recidivism.
Chapter One: Introduction
The American Civil Liberties Union reports that nearly 60,000 youth under the age of 18 are incarcerated in the United States every day. However, what is even more alarming, is the number of juveniles re-offending and re-incarcerated within five years of their release. It is estimated that approximately 44 % of offenders are rearrested within the first year of their release, with juveniles making up 55 % of these rearrests (Alper, Durose & Markman, 2018). The high recidivism rates of juvenile offenders highlight the need to bring more awareness to the issue.
Studies have already shown that incarceration dramatically impacts juveniles' future by interrupting their social systems and disrupting their opportunities to receive an education (Chetty & Hendren, 2017; Mallett, 2013). At the macro-level, incarceration burdens the economy. Mukku and colleagues (2012) also found that averting incarceration would reduce the government's expenses by $17 billion annually, mainly for non-violent-related crimes. For these reasons, this study reinforces the need to educate the public about factors that lead to incarceration and, by extension, recidivism among juvenile offenders and develop an intervention manual to minimize this risk.
Statement of the Problem
Recidivism presents a unique challenge for administrators and policymakers in the criminal justice system. In essence, very high recidivism rates signify the system's inability to rehabilitate and reintegrate offenders into their communities adequately. Worryingly, national recidivism rates in the US remain significantly high. Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) data released in 2018 showed that 5 in 6 (representing 83 percent)…
Factors Influencing Recidivism among Juvenile Offenders
Approved by:
_____________________________________
Spring 2021
Table of Contents
Title Page. 1
Table of Contents 2
Abstract ...... 3
Chapter One: Introduction... 4
Statement of the Problem............................................................................. 4
Justification of the Research 6
Purpose of the Research... 7
Chapter Two: Literature Review. 8
Variables Ifluencing the Risk of Recidivism .... 8
Unemployment and Recidivism.. 10
Gaps in Research. 12
Chapter Three: Theoretical Framework... 13
Social Learning Theory 13
Application in Research....... 13
Justification for Selected Theory 15
Chapter Four: Methodology 16
Project Deliverable.. 16
Rationale for Selected Deliverable.. 16
Sample Population... 17
Stakeholder Recruitment. 18
Methods of Obtaining Stakeholder Input.... 18
Additional Information 19
Chapter Five: Conclusion 20
Results 20
Relevance to Research Questions .. 21
Strengths and Limitations of Deliverable .. 22
Implications for Social Work Practice 23
References... 24
Appendices. 27
Appendix A Church Leaders Interview Guide ... 27
Appendix B Social Workers Interview Guide 28
Appendix C Juvenile Detention Center Staff Interview Guide.. 29
Appendix D Intervention Manual using TIDieR checklist 30
Abstract
The American Civil Liberties Union reports that nearly 60,000 youth under the age of 18 are incarcerated in the United States every day. Statistics indicate that 44 % of offenders are rearrested within the first year of their release, with juveniles making up 55 % of these rearrests. Incarceration negatively impacts the future of juveniles by interrupting their social systems. For this reason, it is prudent to bring more awareness to the issue by educating the public about factors that lead to incarceration and, by extension, recidivism, among juvenile offenders. The proposed study seeks to determine the factors that exacerbate recidivism risk among juvenile offenders and, consequently, develop an intervention manual to reduce this risk. The staff at the Durham County Youth Home (a juvenile detention center), church leaders from three local churches (New Hope, Grace Church of Durham, and World Overcomers Christian Church), and social workers from three local support organizations (Bull City Youth Support Group, the Boys and Girls Club…
Factors Influencing Recidivism among Juvenile Offenders
Approved by:
_____________________________________
Spring 2021
Table of Contents
Title Page. 1
Table of Contents 2
Abstract ...... 3
Chapter One: Introduction... 4
Statement of the Problem............................................................................. 4
Justification of the Research 6
Purpose of the Research... 7
Chapter Two: Literature Review. 8
Variables Influencing the Risk of Recidivism .... 8
Unemployment and Recidivism.. 10
Gaps in Research. 12
Chapter Three: Theoretical Framework... 13
Social Learning Theory 13
Application in Research....... 13
Justification for Selected Theory 15
Chapter Four: Methodology 16
Project Deliverable.. 16
Rationale for Selected Deliverable.. 16
Sample Population... 17
Stakeholder Recruitment. 18
Methods of Obtaining Stakeholder Input.... 18
Additional Information 19
Chapter Five: Conclusion 20
Results 20
Relevance to Research Questions .. 21
Strengths and Limitations of Deliverable ....... 23
References... 24
Appendices. 27
Appendix A Church Leaders Interview Guide ... 27
Appendix B Social Workers Interview Guide 28
Appendix C Juvenile Detention Center Staff Interview Guide.. 29
Appendix D Intervention Manual using TIDieR checklist 30
Abstract
The American Civil Liberties Union reports that nearly 60,000 youth under the age of 18 are incarcerated in the United States every day. Statistics indicate that 44 % of offenders are rearrested within the first year of their release, with juveniles making up 55 % of these rearrests. Incarceration negatively impacts the future of juveniles by interrupting their social systems. For this reason, it is prudent to bring more awareness to the issue by educating the public about factors that lead to incarceration and, by extension, recidivism, among juvenile offenders. The proposed study seeks to determine the factors that exacerbate recidivism risk among juvenile offenders and, consequently, develop an intervention manual to reduce this risk. The staff at the Durham County Youth Home (a juvenile detention center), church leaders from three local churches (New Hope, Grace Church of Durham, and World Overcomers Christian Church), and social workers from three local support organizations (Bull City Youth Support Group, the Boys and Girls Club of Durham, and the North Carolina Central University on-campus counseling Center and Men's Achievement Center) provided input and feedback on the factors influencing recidivism. From the stakeholders' feedback, an intervention manual for a 6-month residential after-care program for juvenile delinquents was developed to foster positive behavioral change and minimize the risk of recidivism.
Chapter One: Introduction
The American Civil Liberties Union reports that nearly 60,000 youth under the age of 18 are incarcerated in the United States every day. However, what is even more alarming, is the number of juveniles re-offending and re-incarcerated within five years of their release. It is estimated that approximately 44 % of offenders are rearrested within the first year of their release, with juveniles making up 55 % of these rearrests (Alper, Durose & Markman, 2018). The high recidivism rates of juvenile offenders highlight the need to bring more awareness to the issue.
Studies have already shown that incarceration dramatically impacts juveniles' future by interrupting their social systems and disrupting their opportunities to receive an education (Chetty & Hendren, 2017; Mallett, 2013). At the macro-level, incarceration burdens the economy. Mukku and colleagues (2012) also found that averting incarceration would reduce the government's expenses by $17 billion annually, mainly for non-violent-related crimes. For these reasons, this study reinforces the need to educate the public about factors that lead to incarceration and, by extension, recidivism among juvenile offenders and develop an intervention manual to minimize this risk.
Statement of the Problem
Recidivism presents a unique challenge for administrators and policymakers in the criminal justice system. In essence, very high recidivism rates signify the system's inability to rehabilitate and reintegrate offenders into their communities adequately. Worryingly, national recidivism rates in the US remain significantly high. Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) data released in 2018 showed that 5 in 6 (representing 83 percent) of offenders released in 2005 across 30 states had been rearrested at least once between then and 2014 (Alper et al., 2018). Approximately 44 % of offenders are rearrested before the end of their first year after release (Alper et al., 2018). About 44 % of offenders are rearrested before the end of their first year after release (Alper etal., 2018). According to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), juveniles make up approximately 55 % of offenders who are rearrested within their first year of release (OJJDP, 2017).
National data on juvenile recidivism does not exist as juvenile justice is handled at the state level. All the same, state data points to a worrying trend. A 2018 report from the State of Indiana, for instance, puts juvenile recidivism at a rate of 33.3 % for offenders released in 2015 (Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC), 2018). Of the 688 juveniles released in 2015, 229 had been rearrested at least once by 2017. Also, 145 were rearrested as juveniles and 84 as adults (IDOC, 2018). Similarly, 2015 data from the State of California indicates a juvenile recidivism rate of 50.5 % in 2014-15, up from 49.1 % in 2013-14 (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), 2015). The highest juvenile recidivism rates have been reported in New Jersey. Other states' data from 2010-11 indicates that 81 % of juvenile offende
References
Alper, M., & Durose, M.R. (2018, May 17). 2018 Update on Prisoner Recidivism: A 9-Year Follow-up Period (2005-2014). U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Statistics. https://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=6266
Alvarez, G., Cerritelli, F., & Urrutia, G. (2016). Using the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) as a Tool for Improving the Design and Reporting of Manual Therapy Interventions. Manual Therapy, 24(1), 85-89.
Barett, D. E., & Katsiyannis, A. (2015). Juvenile offending and crime in early adulthood: A large sample analysis. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 25(4): 1086-97.
Bhuller, M., Dahl, G., Loken, K., & Mogstad, M. (2016). Incarceration, BGC Durham (2020). Youth Justice Department. Boys and Girls Club of Durham. Retrieved from https://www.bgcdurham.com/programs--2/youth-justice-department Recidivism and Employment, National Bureau of Economic Research, Working paper 22648.
Boaz, A., Hanney, S., Borst, R., O’Shea, A. & Kok, M. (2018). How to engage stakeholders in research: Design principles to support improvement. Health Research Policy and Systems, 16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-018-0337-6
Brown, E., & Smith, A. (2018). Challenging mass incarceration in the City of Care: Punishment, community, and residential placement. Theoretical Criminology, 22(1), 4-21.
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (2015). Recidivism Report for Youth Released from the Division of Juvenile Justice in Fiscal Year 2014-15. California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Fiscal Year 2014-15.
Chetty, R., & Nathaniel, H. (2017). The Impacts of Neighborhoods on Intergenerational Mobility II: Country-Level Estimates”. NBER Working Paper No. 23003, Reviewed Version.
Davis, L. M., Bozick, R., Steele, J. L., Saunders, J., & Miles, J. (2013). Evaluating the Effectiveness of Correctional Education: A Meta-Analysis of Programs that Provide Education to Incarcerated Adults. RAND corporation.
Elrod, P., & Ryder, R. S. (2020). Juvenile justice: A social, historical, and legal perspective. Jones & Bartlett PublishersGifford, R. (2016). Research Methods for Environmental Psychology. Malden, MA: John Wiley & Sons.
Gilman, A. B., Hill, K. G., & Hawkins, J. D. (2015). When is a youth’s debt to society paid? Examining the long-term consequences of juvenile incarceration for adult functioning. Journal of developmental and life-course criminology, 1(1), 33-47.
Grunwald, H. E., Lockwood, B., Mennis, J., & Harris, P. W. (2010). Influences of Neighborhood Context, Individual History, and Parenting Behavior on Recidivism among Juvenile Offenders. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 39(1): 1067-79.
Hunter-Reel, D. (2013). Interpersonal Factors and Addictive Disorders. Principles of Addiction, 1(1), 293-301.
IDOC (2018). Juvenile Recidivism 2018. Indiana Department of Corrections (IDOC). Retrieved from https://www.in.gov/idoc/files/2018JuvRecidivismRpt.pdf
Mallett, C. A. (2013). Factors Related to Recidivism for Youthful Offenders. Criminal Justice Studies, 26(1): 84-98.
Mukku, V. K., Benson, T. G., Alam, F., Richie, W. D., & Bailey, R. K. (2012). Overview of substance use disorders and incarceration of African American males. Frontiers in psychiatry, 3, 98.
Mulder,E., Brand, E., Bullens,R., & Marle, H.V. (2010). A Classification of Risk Factors in Serious Juvenile Offenders and the relation between Patterns of Risk Factors and Recidivism. Criminal Behavior and Mental Health, 20(1): 23-38.
Nally, J. M., Lockwood, S., Ho, T., & Knutson, K. (2014). Post-Release Recidivism and Employment among Different types of Released Offenders: A Five-Year Follow-Up Study in the United States. Official Journal of the south Asian Society of Criminology and Victimology, 9(1), 16-34.
New Jersey Department of Corrections. (2016). Release Outcome 2011: A Three-Year Follow-Up. New Jersey Department of Corrections. https://www.state.nj.us/corrections/pdf/offender_statistics/2016/Release_Outcome_Report_2011.pdf
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. (2017). Law Enforcement and Juvenile Crime. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/crime/qa05103.asp?qaDate=2017
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. (2017). Literature Review: A Product of the Model Programs Guide. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. https://www.ojjdp.gov/mpg/litreviews/Aftercare.pdf
Pereira, M. B., & Maia, A. (2017). Persistence in Crime in Young Adults with a History of Juvenile Delinquency: The Role of Mental Health and PsychosocialSalkind, N. J. (2010). Encyclopedia of Research Design. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
AppendicesAppendix A: Church Leaders’ Interview guideThe interview is scheduled to take 30 minutes and is to be focused on obtaining answers to the following questions in line with your role as a local church leader. Please be free to be as truthful as possible as the information provided will only be used only for purposes of this study and cannot be traced back to you.
1. What age groups of youth mostly attend church service?2. What would you say is the extent of youth’s resilience or acceptance of spirituality form those that you interact with?3. In your view, is there any relationship between spirituality and criminality or recidivism?4. What programs or supports does the church offer youth to minimize their risk of delinquency?5. Are there any existing programs focused on rehabilitating and assisting previously-incarcerated youth to prevent them from recidivating?6. What religious interventions (existing or potential) do you think the church could offer to reduce criminal tendencies among the youth in Durham?Thanks for your time and willingness to participateAppendix B: Social Workers’ Interview guideThe interview is scheduled to take 30 minutes and is focused on obtaining answers to the following questions in line with your role as a social worker in a local support organization (Insert Name). Please be free to be as truthful as possible as the information provided will only be used only for purposes of this study and cannot be traced back to you.
1. From your experience and interactions with juvenile delinquents, what factors do you believe have the greatest influence on criminality and recidivism among juveniles in Durham?2. Is there any specific age bracket at which most of the juveniles you deal with become delinquent?3. Does your organization engage in any programs or supports geared at rehabilitating delinquent youth and fostering positive behavioral change?4. Do you believe that you are doing enough to support juvenile delinquents in your area, and what changes (if any) would you propose to improve the current programs?Thanks for your time and willingness to participateAppendix C: Juvenile Detention Center Staff Interview guideThe interview is scheduled to take 30-40 minutes and is focused on obtaining answers to the following questions in line with your role at the Durham County Youth Home. Please be free to be as truthful as possible as the information provided will only be used only for purposes of this study and cannot be traced back to you.
1. What, in your view, are the risk factors for criminality and recidivism among juveniles from the experiences that you have had?2. What are the crimes that are most commonly committed by juveniles?3. In your estimation, what proportion of juveniles reoffend within 1 year of release from the facility and to what factors do you attribute this reoffending?4. Are there specific classes of juveniles that are more likely to reoffend?5. What services or placements are offered to juvenile delinquents during their stay at the facility and upon release to rehabilitate them and minimize the risk of reoffending?6. I your view, are the existing programs (if any) effective, and what changes (if any) would you propose?Thanks for your time and willingness to participateAppendix D – Intervention Manual using TIDieR templateBrief Name: 6-month Residential aftercare programs for juvenile delinquentsWhy: To foster positive behavioral change and minimize the risk of recidivism among juvenile delinquentsMaterials: magazines and publications on the negative effects of involvement in crime, publications on signs of mental health, videos on criminality and its negative impact on the individual and community, and testimonials from community champions and celebrities who changed from a life of crime. All these materials are to be made physically available to participants.
Procedures (Strategies): Talks and seminars by role models and champions of behavioral change such as ex-offenders who turned from criminality and are now leading positive livesSpiritual talks and teachings to foster Godly behaviorInvolving participants as peer educators in school forums and community events to sensitize youth on the negative effects of engaging in crimeCounseling services to help participants address mental health issues that could be risk factors for recidivismWorkshops and talks geared at instilling basic life and job-related skillsApprenticeship opportunities for youth who show immense behavioral changeWho Provides Intervention: juvenile detention center staff and chaplains, youth leaders, celebrities who changed from lives of crime, social workers, religious leaders, professional counselorsHow: teachings are to be provided to participants in a group setting through face-to-face deliveryWhere: at selected residential facilities to be constructed by private organizations and non-governmental organizations through donor support within major towns in Durham. To begin with, the program will be carried out at an old church hall at the World Overcomers Church, which has the capacity to house 20 participantsWhen and at How Much: intervention is to begin immediately a juvenile delinquent is released from incarceration or a juvenile detention facility. The aftercare program will serve as the channel for juvenile delinquents’ transition from the criminal justice system into the community and participants will be resident for a period of 6 months. The program is to be run by non-governmental organization through donor funding, and will thus be offered to participants free of chargeTailoring: talks and workshops will be provided based on the needs of participants at the timeModifications: program coordinators will be allowed to make relevant changes to the program curriculum if need beHow well Planned: the intervention is executed based on primary input from key stakeholders who interact with juvenile delinquents in Durham and can thus be assumed to be both relevant and objectiveHow well implemented: the impact of the intervention program and how well it was implemented is to be assessed at the end of every year. Success will be measured by the number of participants who obtain employment upon completion of the program and the number of participants who recidivate as a proportion of the total number of participants in a given year. The program coordinators expect that at least 75 percent of participants who go through the aftercare program will attain complete positive behavioral change
Juveniles In basic terms, handling juvenile offenders remains the key purpose of juvenile courts. Hence these courts are designed not to punish but to treat and guide. However, though juvenile courts have been in operation for over a hundred years, some juvenile offenders still find themselves being tried in adult courts. The question that arises in this case is; should juvenile offenders go through the same criminal justice system as their
Juvenile offenders have grown to become a serious problem in many countries, especially the United States. Like adult offenders, juvenile offenders are more likely to reoffend, especially without the proper guidance and assistance they need in order to live a law abiding life. Research within the last five years has led to identification of specific program models as well theory-based intervention approaches that not only assist juvenile offenders in leading
Juvenile Offenders, an Intervention Analysis The challenge of juvenile offenders, what prompts them into crime and what factors contribute to the repeat of same misdemeanors that led them to the juvenile prison are issues that have for long attracted protracted discussions and even detailed researches. There has been little attention however given to the possible role of mentor programs in keeping the young people off crime. This research proposal hence looks
Crime Juvenile Offender in Hong Kong Juvenile Offenders Juvenile Offender in Hong Kong The increase in juvenile delinquency has become a world-wide phenomenon, especially in many developed countries. This trend is also evident in cities like Hong Kong and can be seen in a recent report which asserts that the age of juvenile offenders in Kong is getting younger. This study by Pang (2008) states that, "Some juvenile delinquents are now as young as
Missouri has seen a rise in African-America juveniles tried as adults. Statistics from 2009 state 64% of the juveniles tried as adults were of African-American descent. This is almost double of the amount in 2001 which was 36%. (Cooper) This brings to light an increase in racial disparity and the nature of prosecution in Missouri. Many of the cases of the African-American juvenile offenders certified as adults are prosecuted in
juvenile offenders' ability to understand their legal rights and one issue related to their ability to participate effectively in their own defense. Ability to understand legal rights: Competency Ability to participate effectively in their own defense: Treating juveniles differently According to U.S. criminal law, part of the right to counsel includes the notion that a defendant must be able to participate in his or her defense (Sandborn 2009: 137). However, schizophrenics, persons
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now