impacts all members and processes of a social structure. Delinquency refers to a set of behaviors that are not in line with the collective practices and/or ethics of the dominant social group. Essentially, these behaviors deviate from societal norms and more specifically they violate established criminal codes and laws. Juvenile delinquency

incorporates not only general criminal activity but conduct that is only unlawful for youths such as running away from home and skipping school. Current research into this difficult and pressing issue reflects a vast range of theories about, and predictors of delinquency as well as a multitude of strategies to control and reduce overall delinquency. The consensus among practitioners and researchers however maintains that

juvenile delinquency is a dynamic, multifaceted problem with numerous potentially causal factors. Subsequently, investigators and professionals suggest that treatment procedures must focus on not only the immediate issue of the offender’s deviant behavior but on every element within the context of that behavior as well, including for

example, family relations and social support services/

In conclusion, this data solely attributed higher incarceration rates of African American youths to the disproportionate involvement of youths of color in serious and violent crime (Conley, 1994). The purpose of this current study was to assess trends in minority overrepresentation within the juvenile justice system. Specifically to determine if arrest, detention admission, and training school admission rates increased or decreased since 1990. The data was also sought to determine the relationship between the number of alternative or diversionary programs, offense severity, geographic location and minority overrepresentation within the state’s juvenile justice system. As you can see the data more than shows that race, gender, and geography does play a major role within the juvenile justice system and the overrepresentation of minorities within the process of the juvenile system. .

In most states, police who detain a child suspected of a crime are required to take the child before a juvenile court judge as soon as it is practical. State laws vary on whether child suspects can be questioned without their parents being present. Some child advocates doubt that juvenile suspects can understand their basic rights such as the right to have a lawyer present during questioning by police. There is no hard-and-fast rule on at what age a child is able to understand, say, their right to remain silent.

Furthermore, socioeconomic status is a consistently stronger predictor than race in accounting for the action taken at each decision point (Kurtz et al, 1993). Minority parents who earn low salaries may find it difficult to take a day off from work and attend juvenile court, whereas white parents who earn high salaries can afford time off to show their support. In addition, minority parents who earn low salaries may not have the assets to obtain counseling from outside sources as would white parents. The Georgia study also found that judges’ decisions were influenced strongly by the absence of an attorney or representation by a public defender (Kurtz et. al, 1993). The defendant’s ability to obtain representation is greatly affected by the defendant’s income and socioeconomic status.

An Ohio study revealed that during the four stages of the juvenile justice process

Some topics in this essay:
Family Homes, Chicago Press, Supreme Court, Teen Courts, , Glueck Glueck, Smith Stern, North Carolina’s, Silvio Carrillo, Myers Talarico, juvenile court, juvenile justice, juvenile justice system, justice system, probation officer, juvenile offenders, juvenile courts, minority overrepresentation, due process, social service, supreme court, social service workers, et al 1993, juvenile court judge, differential association theory,