The zero tolerance policies were implemented with the intended purpose to punish juveniles who display unacceptable behavior and dissuade them from committing the act in the future. The policies are based on deterrence theory. Deterrence theory states that an individual is capable of making rational choices to partake in behavior, therefore punishment which is implemented with swiftness, severity, and certainty will cause the individual to change their delinquent behavior (Schram and Tibbetts 2014). This is the foundation to the school-to-prison pipeline as one receives punishment directly after the incident occurs, the punishment is harsh as one is suspended, expelled, or adjudicated, and there is certainty that the offense will be processed. …show more content…
Labeling theory describes this aspect as it explains society judges and places stigma on a person based on their behavior or characteristics (Schram and Tibbetts 2014). This explains the stigma the student receives from various interactions they encounter such as parents and the school administrators and staff. The label can lead to damaging effects as the individual is marginalized and treated differently by society, or it creates a self-fulfilling prophecy and the person starts to internalize and act out the role society gave them (Schram and Tibbetts 2014). The interviewee discussed the stigma affecting the parents’ view of the juvenile. He explained that since he is Community Detention Supervisor, he obtains the discretion to release juveniles who he deems are not serious offenders. His rational utilizes the learning theory: as he explains that if admitted to the hall the juvenile will learn new criminal techniques and behaviors from the more serious offenders; thus escalating delinquent behavior. Once, he tells the parents the child will return to their custody, the initial reaction is not that of joy but that of worry. He explains this interaction, “Some parents believe their child is a deviant and want him/her to be incarcerated, because they feel they can’t control him/her. It takes some time as I have to explain the child is not bad, but just made some bad choices.” (March 27, 2015). This shows how the label changes the parents’ perception of their child, because he was brought into the juvenile justice system. They ultimately place the label of delinquent, which shapes their opinion that the child is out of control and needs to be punished. This interaction can also be shown in school as the teachers and staff can label the child as troublesome. For example, the student is punished by the zero tolerance policy and
...(2004). Applying the principles of effective intervention to juvenile correctional programs. Corrections Today, 66(7), 26-29. Retrieved from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=4bd9d7f2-8ac5-42c6-a100-a2443eda9cbf@sessionmgr4002&vid=1&hid=4213
If you did not know, the zero tolerance policy is when students break school behavior rules and strict regulations created by the district or school and get severe consequences for it. Carla Amurao, the author of the article, “Fact Sheet: How Bad Is the School-to-Prison Pipeline?”, stated that “statistics reflect that these policies disproportionately target students of color”. Students of color are being affected so badly by this policy, that statistics show black students are 3 times more likely to get expelled than white students. Since these students are being expelled or arrested for breaking zero tolerance policy rules, they are missing valuable information in classes due to court hearings. But, some people argue that the zero tolerance policy is unfair to all students, making the education system equal for all to succeed. For example, a “2007 study by the Advancement Project and the Power U Center for Social Change says that for every 100 students who were suspended, 15 were Black, 7.9 were American Indian, 6.8 were Latino and 4.8 were white”. As you can see, the zero tolerance policy affects all races, making them miss their education because of certain consequences. Because the mindset of these people is that, if the zero-tolerance policy does not affect just one race or group of people, then the education system
One of the main goals of continuum sanctions is that instead of punishing all juveniles in a similar way, they should be punish based on the severity of the offense they committed (NCJRS). Continuum sanctions can also be used for those juveniles who have committed minor offenses and that did not enter the juvenile justice system, even though they did not enter the juvenile justice system they should still be held accountable for their action by giving them some sort of punishment and that is when continuum sanctions come into play (NCJRS). This will make communities feel safer because it will prevent some juveniles from committing delinquency because the juveniles will know that the juvenile justice system will not be soft on them just because they are juveniles and the offense was
The youth control complex is a form of social control in which the justice system (the prison system) and the socializing and social control institutions (school system) work together to stigmatize, criminalize, and punish inner city youth. Accordingly, these adolescents’ are regarded as deviant and incompetent to participate within U.S. society. On that note, deviance is created based on socially constructed labels of deviances; otherwise, deviance wouldn’t happen without these labels. Once an individual engages in a deviant behavior, it results in a response, often times, some type of punishment from the justice system. The youth control complex creates social incapacitation (social death) among juveniles. This ubiquitous system of social
Vacca, James. (2008). Children of Incarcerated Parents: The invisible students in our schools—what can our schools do to help them? Relational Child & Youth Care Practice, 21 (1). 49-56.
Studies show parental incarceration can be more traumatic to students than even a parent's death or divorce, and the damage it can cause to students' education, health, and social relationships puts them at higher risk of one day going to prison themselves.(Sparks,
The "youth control complex" is one of the concepts presented by the author to analyze young people 's lives. As mentioned in the book, it is "a ubiquitous system if criminalization molded by the synchronized, systematic punishment meted out by socializing and social control institutions"(p.40). It is a person 's normal daily behavior become ubiquitously treated as deviant or even criminal behaviors. For example, schools in Oakland often treat problem students as potential criminals, and some staffs and teachers act as prison guards telling students they are will never be amount to anything and threaten to call the police for misbehaviors which should be dealt with on campus. Many young men are often called a thug and frisked by police. It damages the mind and future prospects of them. They feel outcast and just want to be acknowledged
Purposes: This study intends to use the perspective of three criminal theories: Social disorganization, Differential association and labeling theory to understand and eventually address the issues surrounding education, socioeconomic status and social dilemmas in respect to incarceration amongst juveniles. Specifically, the study intends to answer the following research questions: Does education, socioeconomic status and social dilemmas affect incarceration among Juveniles in America? How can education, socioeconomic status and social problems decrease the rate of incarceration among Juveniles in America? What are some environmental factors that predetermine criminal outcome amongst juveniles? Many questions, theories and researcher are generated in order to tackle an issue of this magnitude. The raw data that one uses to conceptualize may prevent a strong conviction when presenting this type of data amongst a broad spectrum. The intentions of ones study should solely focus on the prevention process rather than just presenting factual material to its audience. Stereotypes, pigeonholes and over-generalizations should be address. Misrepresentation amongst the minority group tends to produce a more compelling statistic. "Adult offenders often begin their criminal careers as children with little hope and little help" (Comey, 2005, p. 12) This research will try and find pre-indicators that will help solve the juvenile delinquency rate.
The school to prison pipeline is a phenomenon that refers to the practices and policies that have pushed school children, especially the most at-risk children, out of classrooms and into the juvenile justice system. This disturbing occurrence indicates the prioritization of incarceration over the education of children. Most alarmingly, many of the children being targeted have learning disabilities or histories of poverty, abuse or neglect. Instead of being targeted, these children would much rather benefit from additional counseling and educational services. Moreover, the knowledge acquired in this course will be incorporated in this paper and used to explain the points made. In this term paper, what will be discussed is the expansion of the zero tolerance policy, the different views on the policy, who is mostly targeted, the effects on the juveniles and any alternative solutions that could diminish this dismaying occurrence for becoming a larger problem.
... proponents say 'cracks down on the worst of the worst among teen criminals.' It is unbelievable that our society will allow for such a law. It seems unfair that a fourteen year old child can make a mistake and pay for it the rest of his/her life. The reason our system has never tried youth as adults is because they are not mature enough to think like an adult and take responsibility for themselves. At such a young age there is still hope for an alteration in his/her lifestyle, locking the child up only diminishes the chance of change. Children act out for attention and in many cases do whatever it takes to get that attention; even if it means bringing a gun to school, or going into a store and stealing a pack of gum. Our society must realize there is a problem with today's youth and find where it stems from - only then is there any hope for change. Putting children into prisons is like pushing dirt under a rug; the dirt can only sit for so long until someone realizes there's a problem and looks to see what the problem is. Our society has been pushing dirt under the rug for so long now that it's only a matter of time until the dirt chafes a hole right through the worn out rug.
The labelling theory is a significant approach for researchers in an effort to broadening the understanding of delinquency and unusual behavior. Besides, it’s worth noting that the labeling theory was a major breakthrough for many decades, thus its symbolized both theoretical and methodological aspect for criminologist, and in fact, it was known as a theoretical view of crime and deviance, particularly in the 1960s up to the early 1980s. During that era, the conclusion among scholars are that no behavior is intrinsically illicit. Also, “definitions of criminality are established by those in power through the formulation of laws and the interpretation of those laws by police, courts, and correctional institutions” (google, labeling theory, 2016). During that time, the view on deviance was not necessarily narrow down to a particular individual or a group of folks but instead a process of interactionism among deviant and none-deviant acts and the situation in which misconduct interpreted. While labeling theory is a significant concept that emphasizes that social deviations that derived of offender’s being labeling as a lawbreaker; however, scholars who have extensively research this philosophy, they have a slightly differ of opinion of the labeling theory view that is actually doing the opposite of what it was meant to be.
The goals of juvenile corrections are too deter, rehabilitate and reintegrate, prevent, punish and reattribute, as well as isolate and control youth offenders and offenses. Each different goal comes with its own challenges. The goal of deterrence has its limits; because rules and former sanctions, as well anti-criminal modeling and reinforcement are met with young rebellious minds. Traditional counseling and diversion which are integral aspects of community corrections can sometimes be ineffective, and studies have shown that sometimes a natural self intervention can take place as the youth grows older; resulting in the youth outgrowing delinquency.
Martinez, S. (2009). A system gone berserk: How are zero-tolerance policies really …..affecting schools? Preventing School Failure, 53(3), 153-157. Retrieved from …..http://search.proquest.com.ezproxylocal.library.nova.edu/docview/228530113?acco…..untid=6579
Paternoster, R. and Iovanni, L. 1996. The Labelling Perspective and Delinquency: An Elaboration of the Theory and Assessment of the Evidence. In: Cordella, P. and Siege, L. eds. 1996. Readings in Contemporary Criminological Theory. Pennsylvania: The Maple Press Company, p. 180.
Juvenile delinquency is one of the major social issues in the United States today. Juvenile delinquency, also known as juvenile offending, is when “a violation of the law committed by a juvenile and not punishable by death or life imprisonment” (Merriam-webster.com). Although we have one justice system in America, the juvenile system differs from the adult juvenile system. Most juvenile delinquents range from as low as the age of seven to the age of seventeen. Once the delinquent or anyone turns the age of eighteen, they are considered an adult. Therefore, they are tried as an adult, in the justice system. There are many different reasons why a child would commit crime, such as mental and physical factors, home conditions, neighborhood environment and school conditions. In addition, there are a variety of effects that juvenile justice systems can either bad effects or good effects. Finally there are many different solutions that can reduce juvenile delinquency. As a result, juvenile delinquency is a major issue and the likeliness of it can be reduced. In order to reduce juvenile delinquency there has to be an understanding of the causes and the effects.