Part -1:

To prepare for this Discussion:

Juvenile Delinquency, and the Interactive Module, "Historical Treatment of Children and Juvenile Justice System. "

Focus on historical social responses to juvenile delinquency.

• Consider perspectives and practices related to contemporary juvenile delinquency and justice.
• Select one historical social response related to juvenile delinquency for use in this Discussion.
• Consider how the response you selected has influenced contemporary perspectives and practices related to juvenile delinquency.
Explain how this response influenced contemporary perspectives and practices related to juvenile delinquency and justice. Be specific.
Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.

Part -2:

To prepare for this Discussion:

Focus on sociological theories that account for juvenile delinquency.

• Consider how sociological theories might influence public policies related to juvenile delinquency and justice.
• Select a sociological theory to use for this Discussion. The theory should be different from those you selected for the Application this week.

Consider the main principles of the sociological theory you selected.

• Reflect on how the theory you selected might influence social programs and policies related to juvenile delinquency and justice.

Explain how the theory might influence social programs and policies related to juvenile delinquency and justice. Be specific and use examples to support your explanation.

Part -3:: Implications of Biological and Psychological Factors

Review the assigned reading from Juvenile Delinquency. Pay particular attention to the biological and psychological theories that account for juvenile delinquency.

Review Juvenile Delinquency. Focus on the psychological impact of family-related factors such as child maltreatment or parental rejection and think of how they might contribute to juvenile delinquency.

Review Juvenile Delinquency. Consider the psychological impact of school-related factors such as poor academic achievement and bullying, and think of how they might contribute to juvenile delinquency.

Select a high-profile crime involving one or more juveniles as the perpetrator(s). This crime can be one from your community or one that you learned about in the news.

Consider the known facts of the crime, including any background information about the juvenile(s) and his or her mental and criminal histories.

Consider the information available about the family and school experiences of the juvenile(s) in the crime.

Think about the biological and psychological factors that might have led the juvenile(s) to commit the crime you selected.

Select one biological and one psychological factor that you think most contributed to the juvenile(s) committing the offense.

Reflect on how the factors you identified might influence how the juvenile(s) is addressed by the juvenile justice system. In doing so, be sure to consider how the court might rule on the case and what type of program (e.g., incarceration, probation, treatment-focused) the juvenile might be required to complete.

With these thoughts in mind:

Explain at least one biological factor and one psychological factor that might have contributed to the juvenile(s) committing the offense. Finally, explain how these factors might influence how the juvenile(s) are addressed in the juvenile justice system.

Part -4:: Juvenile Justice and the Juvenile Justice System

Transferring Juveniles to Adult Court

• Review the Interactive Module, "Difference between Adult and Juvenile Justice System." Pay attention to the differences between the adult criminal justice system and the juvenile justice system.
• Review, Juvenile Delinquency, and focus on the transfer of juvenile offenders to adult courts.
• Review the Interactive Module, "Transfer to Adult Court" and consider the three ways in which a juvenile might be transferred to adult court.
• Select a historical or contemporary case in which a juvenile offender was transferred to adult court.
• Using the National Center for Juvenile Justice Web site, research the criteria for transferring a juvenile offender to adult court in the state where the crime was committed.
  Review your selected case and think about whether you agree with the decision to transfer the juvenile to adult court.

Describe the criteria for adjudicating a juvenile as an adult in the state where the crime was committed. Explain whether you agree with the decision and why. Be sure to note whether state criteria were correctly applied in the case.

Part -5: Prevention Programs

• Review the sections on "Prevention of Delinquency ", Juvenile Delinquency, and focus on various prevention programs.
• Select two prevention programs to use for this Discussion. Note: You may select programs from the Learning Resources this week or you may use the Internet to find other programs of interest to you.
• Think of how the programs you selected are influenced by sociological, biological, and/or psychological factors thought to contribute to juvenile crime and delinquency.

Part -6:: Current Issues and Future Trends

A: Societal Changes and Juveniles
To prepare for this Discussion:

• Review the Interactive Module, "The Future of Juvenile Justice." Consider how various societal changes affect juveniles today and contribute to juvenile delinquency.

• Review the assigned pages, Juvenile Delinquency. Focus on societal changes that might contribute to juvenile delinquency among females.

Review, Juvenile Delinquency. Think about how peer groups and gang involvement among juveniles might contribute to juvenile delinquency.

Select two societal changes that influence today''s juveniles and consider how.

Think about how and why the societal changes you selected might contribute to juvenile delinquency.

Part -7:

COLLAPSE

Juvenile Offenders and the Juvenile Justice System

• Review the Juvenile Delinquency. Focus on the proliferation of juvenile delinquency among females.
• Review Juvenile Delinquency, and focus on the proliferation of juvenile involvement in gangs.

Post an explanation of how the juvenile justice system must change to accommodate today's juvenile offenders. Be specific and use examples to illustrate your explanation.