THEORIES ON VIOLENT JUVENILE CRIME OF

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).

Although research demonstrates the prevalence o

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ded solutions. Policies, laws, and the development and use of specialized courts for juvenile crime will also be presented (MacLellan, 2000). Conflicting Theories An understanding of conflicting theories of juvenile crime in the U.S. will assist with their integration. This review will discuss the conflict between POM (Principle of Mind) theory, and social control theory, social bonding theory, and containment theory. Lopex and Emmer (2000) point out the differences between situational selection studies and symbolic interaction studies and further report that all theories must be integrated for the comprehensive study of adolescent offenders. This research 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 con
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Lopez Emmer, Lopex Emmer, Juvenile Crime, Background Research, Introduction Statement, Holsinger Dunn, Lotz Lee, Parish-Plass Lufi, Bennett Bergan, Sprague Walker, juvenile crime, violent juvenile, violent juvenile crime, risk factors, causes treatment, conflicting theories, criminal justice, control theory, violent crime, social control, juvenile offenders, social control theory, causes treatment violent, treatment violent juvenile, treatment juvenile crime,
Approximate Word count = 4377
Approximate Pages = 18 (250 words per page)

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