Axiaecampus

CJS 240

CJS 240 Introduction to Juvenile Justice Version 2 08/06/07

CJS 240 Introduction to Juvenile Justice

Course Syllabus CJS 240

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CJS 240 Introduction to Juvenile Justice

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Course Syllabus Course Title: CJS 240—Introduction to Juvenile Justice

Required Texts Siegel, L. J. and Welsh, B. C. (2005). Juvenile delinquency: The core. (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA:

Thomson Wadsworth. Axia College’s Writing Style Handbook, available online at https://axiaecampus.phoenix.edu/Writing_Style_Handbook_AxiaUOP.pdf Please Note: All required text and materials are found on the Materials tab of the student web page. The student web page can be accessed through the Axia College of University of Phoenix Student and Faculty Web site at https://axiaecampus.phoenix.edu/

https://axiaecampus.phoenix.edu/Writing_Style_Handbook_AxiaUOP.pdf
https://axiaecampus.phoenix.edu/
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Course Overview

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course is a general orientation to the concept of delinquency and the field of juvenile justice. Students will examine the nature of delinquency, as well as a variety of theories and suspected causes of delinquent behavior. Students will study factors related to delinquency and/or prevention including gender, youthful behavior, family, peers, drug use, school, and community.. This course will also familiarize students with the evolution of juvenile justice and key players in the juvenile justice process. Additionally, students will develop an understanding of the juvenile court process, as well as juvenile detention, restitution, prevention and treatment.

TOPICS AND OBJECTIVES

Childhood Development and Delinquency

 Discuss juvenile accountability.

 Identify the risk factors associated with chronic offenders.

 Identify the pros and cons of Uniform Crime Report (UCR) and self-report data.

Individual Theories of Delinquency

 Differentiate between general deterrence, specific deterrence, and situational crime prevention.

 Discuss individual theories of delinquency.

Sociological Theories of Delinquency

 Give examples of social disorganization.

 Discuss the impact of social structure theories on delinquency prevention.

 Identify examples of the application of sociological theories of delinquency.

Gender Differences and Family Impact

 Critique the child protection system.

 Describe current explanations for gender differences and delinquency.

 Discuss gender discrimination in the juvenile justice system.

 Explain how family makeup and behavior influence delinquency.

The Juvenile Justice System

 Examine issues within the juvenile court process.

 Identify the main components of a comprehensive juvenile justice strategy.

 Compare and contrast the juvenile and adult justice systems.

Juvenile Corrections and Treatment

 Explain the roles and responsibilities of juvenile probation officers.

 Explain community-based treatment efforts.

 Summarize important issues impacting institutionalized juveniles.

 Discuss the importance of aftercare programs.

Peers, Juvenile Gangs, and School

 Discuss the impact of adolescent peer relations.

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 Describe the relationship between academic performance and delinquency.

 Recognize theories of gang development.

 Explain methods to control gang activity.

Drug Use and Control

 Describe the key reasons for youth drug use.

 Explain the relationship between drug use and delinquency.

 Assess the major drug control strategies.

The Juvenile Delinquent and the System

 Discuss the future of juvenile justice.

 Debate a contemporary issue in juvenile justice.

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Point Values for Course Assignments

Week One: Childhood Development and Delinquency

Discussion Questions 10

Participation 10

CheckPoint: Statistics 30

Week Two: Individual Theories of Delinquency

CheckPoint: Delinquency Deterrence Response 30

Assignment: Individual Theories 100

Week Three: Sociological Theories of Delinquency

Discussion Questions 10

Participation 10

CheckPoint: Sociological Theories Response 30

Week Four: Gender Differences and Family Impact

CheckPoint: Case Study Critique 30

Assignment: Gender and Family 100

Week Five: The Juvenile Justice System

Discussion Questions 10

Participation 10

CheckPoint: The Justice Systems 30

Week Six: Juvenile Corrections and Treatment

CheckPoint: Probation Presentation 30

Assignment: Corrections and Treatment 100

Week Seven: Peers, Juvenile Gangs, and School

Discussion Questions 10

Participation 10

CheckPoint: Gang Development and Control 30

Week Eight: Drug Use and Control

CheckPoint: Drug Use and Delinquency Response 30

Assignment: Drug Czar Presentation 100

Week Nine: The Juvenile Delinquent and the System

Capstone Discussion Question 20

Participation 10

Final Project: Justice System Position Paper 250

Point Totals 1,000

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Policies and Procedures All students in this course are required to abide by the policies and procedures described in the Policies section of the Student Web Page. To view these policies, students must be logged in to the Student Web Page. The same information can be accessed via the Policies link located in the Materials section of the Classroom tab on the Student Web Page.

https://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/aapd/policies/
CJS 240 Introduction to Juvenile Justice

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Week One

Childhood Development and Delinquency

 Discuss juvenile accountability.

 Identify the risk factors associated with chronic offenders.

 Identify the pros and cons of Uniform Crime Report (UCR) and self-report data.

ASSIGNMENTS

1. Read objectives and welcome.

 Read instructor’s bio and post your own bio.

 Due Date: Day 1 [post to the Chat Room forum]

2. Read Appendix A regarding the final project requirements.

3. Read Ch. 1, 2, & 3 of the Juvenile Delinquency: The Core text.

4. Discussion Question 1

 Due Date: Day 2 [post to the Main forum]

 Post your response to the following: Are juveniles truly capable of understanding the seriousness and consequences of their actions? If so, at what age are they capable of understanding? At what age should juveniles be tried as adults? Explain your answer.

5. Discussion Question 2

 Due Date: Day 4 [post to the Main forum]

 Post your response to the following: Is the commission of delinquent activities a normal process of growing up or are there specific factors that initiate this type of behavior? If some delinquent activities are part of growing up, what factors contribute to the progression of delinquent behavior from normal adolescent behavior to chronic offending? Explain your answer.

6. CheckPoint: Statistics

 Resource: Appendix B

 Due Date: Day 5 [post to the Individual forum]

 Complete the UCR and Self-Report Data matrix in Appendix B. To complete this matrix, you will need to list two pros and two cons of UCR data and two pros and two cons of self-report data. Additionally, find one Web resource of official information and one Web resource of unofficial information about the occurrence of delinquency in the United States. Copy and paste the URL addresses into Appendix B.

 Post Appendix B as an attachment.

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Week Two

Individual Theories of Delinquency

 Differentiate between general deterrence, specific deterrence, and situational crime prevention.

 Discuss individual theories of delinquency.

ASSIGNMENTS

1. CheckPoint: Delinquency Deterrence Response

 Due Date: Day 4 [Individual] forum

 Write a 300- to 350-word response explaining how the threat of punishment either does or does not deter juvenile delinquency. Provide examples of general deterrence, specific deterrence, and situational crime prevention strategies. Additionally, identify which concept or concepts of deterrence you believe offer the best method of controlling juvenile crime.

2. Assignment: Individual Theories

 Resource: pp. 47-80 of Juvenile Delinquency

 Due Date: Day 7 [Individual] forum

 Write a 500- to 750-word paper in APA format explaining why some adolescents are motivated to commit crimes while others in similar circumstances are not. Support your explanation by applying at least two of the individual theories of delinquency listed below:

o Routine activities theory o General deterrence theory o Specific deterrence theory o Biochemical theory o Neurological theory o Genetic theory o Psychodynamic theory o Behavioral theory o Cognitive theory

 Cite at least two sources to support your explanation.

 Post your paper as a Microsoft ® Word attachment.

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Week Three

Sociological Theories of Delinquency

 Give examples of social disorganization.

 Discuss the impact of social structure theories on delinquency prevention.

 Identify examples of the application of sociological theories of delinquency.

ASSIGNMENTS

1. Read Ch. 4, 6, & 7 of Juvenile Delinquency.

2. Discussion Question 1

 Due Date: Day 2 [Main] forum

 Post your response to the following: Describe a community in your city or state that currently exemplifies the concept of social disorganization. What solutions might you implement to revitalize that community?

3. Discussion Question 2

 Due Date: Day 4 [Main] forum

 Post your response to the following: During the 1960s, social structure theories strongly influenced the development of delinquency prevention programs. Why did many of the earliest programs fail? What is being done differently today in the development of promising prevention programs?

4. CheckPoint: Sociological Theories Response

 Resource: pp. 101-105 of Juvenile Delinquency

 Due Date: Day 5 [Individual] forum

 Research the Internet to find federal, state, or local programs with elements that exemplify the application of each of the sociological theories listed below:

o Social structure theories o Social process theories o Social conflict theories

 Write a 100-word description for each program. You should have one program that exemplifies social structure theories, one that exemplifies social process theories, and one that exemplifies social conflict theories. Include the programs’ main elements and explain the aspects of each program that address the focus of the theory.

 Cite your references in APA format.

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Week Four

Gender Differences and Family Impact

 Critique the child protection system.

 Describe current explanations for gender differences and delinquency.

 Discuss gender discrimination in the juvenile justice system.

 Explain how family makeup and behavior influence delinquency.

ASSIGNMENTS

1. CheckPoint: Case Study Critique

 Resource: Appendix C

 Due Date: Day 4 [Individual] forum

 Read the case study provided in Appendix C.

 Write a 200- to 350-word response answering the following questions:

o What are some of the possible reasons caseworkers were not aware of the conditions in the Jackson home?

o From the information presented in the case study, should the nine members of the Division of Youth and Family Services staff have been fired? Why or why not?

o Do you believe justice was served in this case? Why or why not? o Could this situation have been prevented? If so, how? If not, why?

2. Assignment: Gender and Family

Ch. 6 & 7 discuss the impact gender and family can have on delinquency. In addition, you have read briefly about gender and the juvenile justice system.

 Due Date: Day 7 [Individual] forum

 Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper in APA format answering the following questions:

o How does gender affect delinquency?

 What are some current explanations for gender differences?

o How does family affect delinquency?

 How does family makeup affect delinquency?

 How does family behavior impact delinquency?

o Are delinquent females treated differently by members of the juvenile justice system?

 Are they treated unfairly?

 Do they benefit from being female? Why or why not?

 Post your paper as a Microsoft ® Word attachment.

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Week Five

The Juvenile Justice System

 Examine issues within the juvenile court process.

 Identify the main components of a comprehensive juvenile justice strategy.

 Compare and contrast the juvenile and adult justice systems.

ASSIGNMENTS

1. Read Ch. 11, 13, & 14 of Juvenile Delinquency.

2. Discussion Question 1

 Due Date: Day 2 [Main] forum

 Review pp. 320-324 and pp. 332-335 of Juvenile Delinquency.

 Your instructor will divide the class into three discussion clusters and assign each cluster one of the following controversial issues:

o Confidentiality in juvenile proceedings o Waiver to adult court o Death penalty for juveniles

 Post your response to the question below for the cluster to which you are assigned:

o Confidentiality in juvenile proceedings

 What do you feel is more important—freedom of press to publish pictures and names of juvenile offenders or juveniles’ rights to private court proceedings? Explain your answer.

o Waiver to adult court

 Should certain juvenile offenders be waived to adult courts? Why or why not?

o Death penalty for juveniles

 Should juveniles who commit serious capital crimes under the age of 16 be eligible for the death penalty? Why or why not?

 Consider reviewing the discussions in the other clusters to gain a deeper understanding of these three issues. In addition, the CheckPoint this week will ask you to further discuss these issues. Reviewing and taking notes on the discussions in the other clusters will help you save time with the CheckPoint later this week.

3. Discussion Question 2

 Due Date: Day 4 [Main] forum

 Post your response to the following: What are the benefits of a comprehensive juvenile justice strategy? What aspects of a comprehensive strategy contribute to those benefits? What are the drawbacks to implementing a comprehensive juvenile justice strategy?

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 Consider discussing specific programs that contribute to a comprehensive juvenile justice strategy that you may be familiar with or have heard about in the media, such as D.A.R.E., teen courts, drug courts, or Big Brothers/Big Sisters.

4. CheckPoint: The Justice Systems

 Resource: Appendix D

 Due Date: Day 5 [Individual] forum

 Complete the System Comparison Matrix, the 200- to 300-word response on controversial issues in the juvenile court system, and the selection of your final project position in Appendix D.

 Post Appendix D as an attachment.

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Week Six

Juvenile Corrections and Treatment

 Explain the roles and responsibilities of juvenile probation officers.

 Explain community-based treatment efforts.

 Summarize important issues impacting institutionalized juveniles.

 Discuss the importance of aftercare programs.

ASSIGNMENTS

1. CheckPoint: Probation Presentation

 Due Date: Day 4 [Individual] forum

 Create an informative 5- to 7-slide Microsoft ® PowerPoint

presentation about probation

and the roles and responsibilities of probation officers. Take on the role of a juvenile probation officer recruiter and address the presentation to an audience of individuals who are interested in applying for the position of a juvenile probation officer. Your presentation should include:

o General information regarding probation

 What is probation?

 Who is on probation?

 What are the conditions of probation?

o Roles and responsibilities of juvenile probation officers

 What are the duties of probation officers?

 When do probation officers become involved in the court process?

 What are the responsibilities of probation officers?

 Prepare detailed speaker notes for each of the slides.

 Post your presentation as a Microsoft ® PowerPoint

® attachment.

2. Assignment: Corrections and Treatment

 Due Date: Day 7 [Individual] forum

 Write a 350- to 700-word paper in APA format summarizing information on juvenile corrections and community-based treatment programs. Include the following in your paper:

o Community-based treatment

 Describe two or three community-based treatment efforts.

 Briefly explain the purpose and importance of the community-based treatment efforts you described.

o Institutionalization

 Describe two or three issues affecting institutionalized juveniles.

 Address why the juvenile justice system should be concerned with those issues.

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o Aftercare programs

 Describe two of the three Intensive Aftercare Programs (IAP) discussed in the text.

 Address the importance of aftercare programs.

 Post your paper as a Microsoft ® Word attachment.

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Week Seven

Peers, Juvenile Gangs, and School

 Discuss the impact of adolescent peer relations.

 Describe the relationship between academic performance and delinquency.

 Recognize theories of gang development.

 Explain methods to control gang activity.

ASSIGNMENTS

1. Read Ch. 8 & 10 of Juvenile Delinquency.

2. Read Truancy reduction: Keeping students in school at the following Web site: http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/188947.pdf

3. Discussion Question 1

 Due Date: Day 2 [Main] forum

 Post your response to the following: How do peers impact delinquency? Do delinquents simply seek out antisocial and delinquent peers as friends or does having delinquent peers cause an individual to become delinquent? Explain your answer.

4. Discussion Question 2

 Due Date: Day 4 [Main] forum

 Post your response to the following: How is school failure related to delinquency? Do delinquents fail at school or is school failure responsible for delinquency? Explain your answer.

5. CheckPoint: Gang Development and Control

 Resource: Appendix E

 Due Date: Day 5 [Individual] forum

 Complete the Gang Development and Gang Control tables in Appendix E.

 Post Appendix E as an attachment.

References

Baker, M. L., Nady Sigmon, J., & Nugent, M. E. (2001). Truancy reduction: Keeping students in

school. U.S. Department of Justice. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency

Prevention Web site. Retrieved March 16, 2007, from

http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/188947.pdf

http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/188947.pdf
http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/188947.pdf
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Week Eight

Drug Use and Control

 Describe the key reasons for youth drug use.

 Explain the relationship between drug use and delinquency.

 Assess the major drug control strategies.

ASSIGNMENTS

1. CheckPoint: Drug Use and Delinquency Response

 Due Date: Day 4 [Individual] forum

 Research the University Library for two current, scholarly journal articles that highlight reasons for youth drug use and the association between drug use and delinquency.

 Write a 200- to 350-word response answering the following questions:

o According to the articles:

 What are the main reasons for youth drug use?

 In what ways does drug use relate to delinquency?

 Cite the articles in APA format.

2. Assignment: Drug Czar Presentation

 Resource: p. 256 of Juvenile Delinquency

 Due Date: Day 7 [Individual] forum

 Read the “Applying What You Have Learned” scenario on p. 256 of Juvenile Delinquency.

 Create a 7- to 10-slide Microsoft ® PowerPoint

presentation illustrating the advantages

and disadvantages of the three drug control policy strategies presented at the open hearing in the scenario. Take on the role of the drug czar in the presentation. Present the policy or policies that you, as the drug czar, believe to be the best strategies for reducing youth drug use.

 Include detailed speaker notes for each slide.

 Cite at least two sources in APA format to support your statements.

 Post your presentation as a Microsoft ® PowerPoint

® attachment.

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Week Nine

The Juvenile Delinquent and the System

 Discuss the future of juvenile justice.

 Debate a contemporary issue in juvenile justice.

ASSIGNMENTS

1. Capstone Discussion Question

The future of the juvenile justice system is in debate. There has been a movement to get tough on juvenile crime at the same time that researchers are seeing more public support for prevention and intervention methods.

 Due Date: Day 3 [Main] forum

 Post your response to the following: What are your thoughts on the future of the juvenile justice system? Should there be a juvenile justice system? Why or why not? Should there be a focus on a comprehensive juvenile justice strategy or should the juvenile justice system focus on one particular area? Explain your answer.

2. Final Project: Justice System Position Paper

Throughout this course, you have become acquainted with explanations of juvenile delinquency, correlates of juvenile delinquency, and the intricacy of the juvenile justice system. For your final project, you are asked to assess one of the major debatable issues regarding the juvenile justice system.

 Resource: Appendix A

 Due Date: Day 7 [Individual] forum

 Write a 1,750- to 2,100-word position paper in APA format arguing one of the following positions:

o The juvenile justice system should focus on rehabilitation. o The juvenile justice system should focus on punishment.

 Include the following in your paper:

o Why should the juvenile justice system adopt the focus you have chosen?

 What evidence supports your position?

o How will the specific focus you have chosen impact

 law enforcement?

 court processes?

 probation?

 corrections?

 community services?

 intervention programs?

o What are some arguments for the opposing side?

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 Why are those arguments not as valid as your arguments?

 Provide evidence to support your claims.

o How do the advantages of the juvenile justice system adopting the specific focus you have chosen outweigh the disadvantages?

 Cite at least five sources to support your position.

 Post your paper as a Microsoft ® Word attachment.