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Delinquency Prevention & InterventionDelinquency Prevention& InterventionJuvenile Justice Guide Book for Legislators

Delinquency Prevention & InterventionIntroductionEngaging in delinquent behavior can lead to drug use anddependency, dropping out of school, incarceration, adultcriminal behavior and injury. Early intervention and preventionof delinquent behavior can divert juveniles from the adverseconsequences that can result from delinquency.Risk and Protective FactorsThere are identified risk factors that increaserejection are identified as risk factors. School anda juvenile’s likelihood to engage in delinquentcommunity risk factors include failure to bond tobehavior, although there is no single risk factorschool, poor academic performance, low academicthat is determinative. To counteract these riskaspirations, neighborhood disadvantage, disorganizedfactors, protective factors have also been identifiedneighborhoods, concentration of delinquent peerto minimize a juvenile’s likelihood to engage ingroups, and access to weapons. Many of these riskdelinquent behavior.factors overlap. In some cases existence of one riskThe four areas of risk factors are: individual, family,peer, and school and community. Individual riskGenerally, protective factors—such as positive schoolfactors include early antisocial behavior, poorattendance, positive social orientation or the abilitycognitive development, hyperactivity and emotionalto discuss problems with parents—are a buffer tofactors, such as mental health challenges. Familyminimize or moderate the effect of risk factors andrisk factors include poverty, maltreatment, familytheir ability to bring about delinquent behavior.violence, divorce, parental psychopathology,Protective factors seem to mitigate the influence of riskfamilial antisocial behaviors, teenage parenthood,factors. Both risk and protective factors are discussedsingle parent family and large family size. Peeras part of delinquency prevention and intervention.factors of association with deviant peers and peer2factor contributes to existence of another or others.

Juvenile Justice Guide Book for LegislatorsRisk FactorsThere are four identified risk factors thatGenerally, protective factors—increase a juvenile’s likelihood to engage insuch as positive school attendance,delinquent behavior.1234Individual risk factorsFamily risk factorspositive social orientation or theability to discuss problems withparents—are a buffer to minimizeor moderate the effect of riskfactors and their ability to bringPeer risk factorsabout delinquent behavior.School and Communityrisk factors3

Delinquency Prevention & InterventionPhases of Preventionand InterventionDelinquency prevention and intervention effortspercent, adult arrest by 27 percent and violentprimarily are comprised of identifying the risk factorscrime by 29 percent. Other studies have shown thatthat contribute to delinquency, addressing thoseviolence begets more violence. One study showedfactors early, and building on protective factors tothat children who were victims of violence were 24offset the risks. Although traditional delinquencypercent more likely to report engaging in violence.prevention policies were targeted at school-ageOne-third of the victims of child abuse or neglectyouth, more modern delinquency prevention andare likely to subject their own children to abuse. Inintervention efforts focus on pre-birth into childhoodcases of extreme exposure to violence, children mayand adolescence.develop post-traumatic stress syndrome, which makesit more difficult to form appropriate relationships,cause an increased tolerance for violence and lead toThe most recent research suggestsdifficulty learning new information.that the earliest prevention shouldQuality early child care and education provide thebegin in the womb and in the firstbases for healthy growth and development, whichyears of a baby’s life.includes physical well-being and structured earlylearning and educational opportunities. Nutrition,health care, parental involvement and interaction,Pre-natalFor instance, research on brain development showsthat neural connections regulating responses to stressare formed in utero and into the first 33 months oflife (as noted in the “Adolescent Development andand quality pre-school experiences also contribute.Positive early child care includes adequate staffqualifications and training, low staff-to-childratios, adequate staff compensation anddevelopmental curriculum.Competency” section). A child who grows up in achaotic or abusive environment is more likely to havean over-reactive flight-or-fight reflex. Furthermore,During the pre-teen years,someone who cannot maintain self-control underthe strongest risk factor forstress has a greater inclination to violence.delinquency is influence froma delinquent peer group.Early ChildhoodSocial research has shown a strong associationbetween childhood abuse and neglect and delinquentbehavior. A National Institute of Justice studyshowed that a history of child abuse and neglectincreased the likelihood of juvenile arrest by 594School AgeThe next crucial phase of prevention andintervention occurs during the pre-teen years. During

Juvenile Justice Guide Book for Legislatorsthis time, the strongest risk factor for delinquencyfurther shows that therapeutic programs—such asis influence from a delinquent peer group. Otherrestorative programs, programs centered on skillprominent risk factors for school-age children arebuilding, and counseling—were more effective thaninvolvement of family members in crime, academicdisciplinary or deterrence philosophies. It is importantfailure and disinterest in school, family violence, drugthat the program type match the youth’s needs.use, and gang influence and membership.Schools play a particularly important role duringthe school-age years. They provide a forum withinResearch by the Peabody Researchwhich to promulgate programs and policies alignedInstitute (2010) shows, in general,with delinquency prevention and intervention. Thesethat intervention for high-riskprograms can address a range of topics, such as drugdelinquents, on average, moreand alcohol use, bullying, and gang prevention.effectively reduces recidivism thanIn fact, most gang resistance programs are schoolbased. The school role also includes their discretionin disciplining and reporting juveniles, sometimeswhen those interventions areapplied to low-risk delinquents.resulting in delinquency proceedings.Evidence-Based ProgramsDuring this time, the strongest riskModel prevention evidence-based programs suchfactor for delinquency is influenceas multi-systemic therapy (MST) and familyfrom a delinquent peer group.functional therapy (FFT) have shown positive effectson recidivism. MST is a family systems approachdesigned to help parents deal effectively with theirchild’s behavior problems. It is provided in theRisk/Needs AssessmentsResearch shows the most effective interventionsare those that target the right kids. Research bythe Peabody Research Institute (2010) shows, ingeneral, that intervention for high-risk delinquents,on average, more effectively reduces recidivism thanwhen those interventions are applied to low-riskdelinquents. Practically, juvenile justice systems willhave more success in reducing recidivism if they focusinterventions on higher-risk youth. The researchhome, school and other community locations. FFTtargets youth with substance abuse, delinquency orviolence in their home environment. It focuses onimproving the function of the family by increasingproblem-solving skills and emotional connectionsand providing appropriate parental structure forchildren in the home. Many states, includingPennsylvania, Florida and Washington, haveimplemented evidence-based programs. Researchalso has shown the effectiveness of smaller, local5

Delinquency Prevention & Interventionprograms that follow principles similar to theseage range within which students may be classified assuccessful programs.truant. In general, research shows that truancy is arisk factor for other behaviors such as substance andIntervening with Status OffendersStatus offenses are non-criminal behaviors thatconstitute an offense only because the juvenilesare minors. The most common status offenses aretruancy, curfew violations, running away and alcoholalcohol use, dropping out of school, and involvementin the juvenile justice system. However, researchconducted by Huizinga et al. also indicates that,although truancy can be a factor associated withdelinquency, it is much less so than factors such asviolations. Preventing and providing structured andsubstance abuse or mental health problems.appropriate services for status offenders are key toWhen the federal Office of Juvenile Justice andpreventing future delinquency.Many youth service experts recommend thatstatus offenders benefit from assessment and earlyintervention for family problems, as opposed to adisciplinary focus and adjudication. These providersadvocate organized, early assessment by communitycenters in collaboration with local agencies. TheDelinquency Prevention (OJJDP) evaluated sevennational truancy reduction programs, it identifiedfive elements of effective programs: parentalinvolvement, a continuum of services, a collaborativeeffort (with law enforcement, mental health,mentoring and social services), school administrativesupport and commitment, and ongoing evaluation.community centers identify the needs of andprovide the necessary services for the juveniles—and their family members, if necessary—to help.although truancy can be aprevent delinquency.factor associated with delinquency,it is much less so than factors suchStatus offenses are non-criminalbehaviors that constitute anas substance abuse or mentalhealth problems.offense only because the juvenilesare minors.Traditionally, habitual truants were suspended,expelled, and often referred to juvenile courts orthe child welfare system. Now, research suggestsTruancyTruancy is absence from school that is not excused bythe school or a parent; some states provide a statutorythat punitive policies only increase the likelihood ofschool dropouts. Studies suggest that the “positiveyouth development” approach—which creates asafe environment, enables connections with caringadults, and builds on strengths and assets of the6