Theories of Violent Juvenile Crime OF VI

OF VIOLENT JUVENILE CRIME IN THE U.S.

The literature has provided an extensive overview regarding youth and violent crime. A historic look at adolescent crime shows that murders committed by teens between the ages 14 and 17, increased 165% between 1985 and 1995. This number was feared to double by the year 2010. Drugs were blamed as were gangs and guns. Juvenile homicides are usually committed with handguns (90%). Childhood abuse was also thought to be a factor. Incarceration is viewed by some to be the answer, however effectiveness and a cost benefit ratio of this solution has not yet been determined (Crispell, 1997, p. 42).

From the 1980s to 1994, juvenile crime in the U.S. was on the rise. More recently, drops in juvenile crime have been reported, however the rates are still high and remain an ongoing concern. Juveniles are more likely than adults to be both the perpetrator and the victim of a crime. When juvenile crime was at its peak in 1994, 16% of all homicides involved a juvenile. Regarding total crime, prior to 1987, homicide offenders were equally black and white; by 1994, 61% of juvenile homicide offenders were black. Rates of female juvenile offenders are less than those of males, however female arrests for violent offenses have increased 25% and rates for property crime have increased 21% (MacLellan, 2000, 1-4).

Research demonstrates that violent crime results from many interacting risk fact

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search paper will review different contextual and interactional theories and compare them to the POM theory. The POM theory views the mind as like a projector, and the offender projects his thoughts from the inside to the outer experience. Thoughts are either unconditioned or conditioned. Unconditioned thoughts are innate, rational, and insightful. The conditioned thoughts are affected by the situation. Although the POM theory includes aspects from both situational and interactional or cognitive theories, it also conflicts with each (Kelly, 1996, pp. 321-322). The conflicting aspects will be presented in this review of the literature. Social control theory will be explored in this review. This theory assumes that strong social and personal controls are needed to keep juveniles from preventing crime. This type of theory focuses on the social factors that influence both internal and external mechanisms found to control an offender's behavior (Kelly, p. 4). A review of social bonding theory will demonstrate its focus on the link between the individual and society. When an individual has strong bonds to significant others, their behaviors will be more likely to be directed toward conformity (Kelly, pp. 7-8). Containment
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Some common words found in the essay are:
CRIME Introduction, Lopez Emmer, Lopex Emmer, Juvenile Crime, Principle Mind, Holsinger Dunn, Lotz Lee, Parish-Plass Lufi, Bennett Bergan, Sprague Walker, juvenile crime, risk factors, violent juvenile, violent juvenile crime, social control, control theory, violent crime, criminal justice, juvenile offenders, social bonding, conflicting theories, social control theory, therapy comparative criminology, offender therapy comparative, social bonding theory,
Approximate Word count = 4254
Approximate Pages = 17 (250 words per page)

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