Delinquency Prevention
Delinquency refers to an offence usually committed by a minor; it could also be referred to as juvenile delinquency. It is essential to prevent minors from continuing to engage in delinquent behaviours. The main reason is that delinquent behaviours put young people at the risk of involving themselves in illegal acts (Johnson, 1987). Such acts include drug use, early pregnancy and adult criminality among others.
Define and explain the models of delinquency prevention. Which model do you feel is the most effective? Why?
There are far too many models of delinquency prevention, but the leading ones include the following.
Skill- and Competency-Building Programs: Such strategies are most effective in reducing youth violence and other risk factors.
Training Programs for Parents: Skill training programs designed for the youth could be effective if they are combined with parent training programs. These programs are more family-based and not school based (Greenberg, Kusche & Mihalic, 1998).
Behaviour Management Programs: These strategies take the behavioural approach towards youth violence. They have proved worldwide to be the most effective in combating delinquency. These strategies have had positive impacts in universal prevention delinquency, (Johnson 1987). They include behaviour monitoring and reinforcement of attendance, analysing academic performance, as well as behavioural techniques for classroom management. For this reason, I feel that this model is the best of all other models.
Capacity-Building Programs: They include school-level environmental strategies. They are effective in reducing delinquency and related outcomes. This program has strategies that focus on building a school’s capacity in such a way that it can plan, implement and maintain positive changes that reduce student delinquency and other related acts. One program under this model empowered students to address school safety problems. The results were significant as fighting and teacher victimization reduced (Greenberg, Kusche & Mihalic 1998).
Discuss the factors affecting the effectiveness of delinquency prevention programs.
Cost: Delinquency has been a significant public issue of concern and one that requires considerable monetary costs. There are enormous expenses involved when investigating delinquent and criminal acts (Thornton, Craft, Dahlberg, Lynch, & Baer, 2000).
The effectiveness of any delinquency prevention program is likely to be affected by the person implementing the entire program and the environment in which the program is being implemented. The most influential factor likely to determine the effectiveness of any program is the target population. This has a significance impact on the overall effects of the program (Howell, 1995).
Victims may lose wages and salaries, property lost, and ongoing expenses such as home alarm systems to limit further victimization.
Loss or reduced Productivity because of confinement and physical injuries, which sometimes becomes long-term.
What do you feel would make an effective delinquency program?
An effective delinquency program is the one that intervenes before the onset any delinquent behaviour and prevent that behaviour from occurring. Such preventive programs work by being introduced n to a child’s life early. These programs have a considerable impact on the public as they prevent delinquent behaviours from developing. Some programs are more effective than others are. This is because of the difference in the comprehensive nature of the programs. Programs that are more hostile are more likely to prevent delinquency in a better way as they handle a variety of aspects within the life of a child (Thornton, Craft, Dahlberg, Lynch, & Baer, 2000).
References
Johnson E. H., (1987). Handbook on Crime and Delinquency Prevention. New York, NY:
Greenwood Press.
Greenberg, M. T., Kusche, C., & Mihalic, S. (1998). Promoting Alternative-Thinking
Strategies (PATHS). In D. S. Elliott (Series Ed.) Blueprints for Violence Prevention.
Boulder, CO: Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence.
Howell, J. A. (Ed.). (1995). Guide For Implementing The Comprehensive Strategy For
Serious, Violent, And Chronic Juvenile Offenders. Washington, DC: U.S. Department
of Justice, Office of Justice Programs.
Thornton, T. N., Craft, C. A., Dahlberg, L. L., Lynch, B. S., & Baer, K. (2000). Best
Practices of Youth Violence Prevention: A Sourcebook for Community Action.
Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
