Assignment Content

Scenario: You are a school resource officer who has been tasked with creating a report to share with your community that will build awareness about local juvenile crime and prevention programs.

Write a report that consists of 2 parts:

Part 1: Data Visualization
Research statistics on populations of juvenile delinquents using the OJJDP’s Easy Access to Juvenile Populations (EZAPOP) data tool. Choose 1 of the following options to investigate:

How 1 year’s totals compare to another year’s totals in your state
How your county’s totals compare to your state’s totals
How your state’s totals compare to another state’s totals
How 1 of the sexes, races, or ethnicities compares to another demographic in your area
How 1 age demographic compares to another in your state

Create a visual representation of the data that shows a comparison of both groups, such as a chart, graphic image, diagram, or infographic. Do not use a table; select a visually appealing layout that your community would find easy to read and understand.

Create an image for your data visualization using an illustration tool in Microsoft® Word or PowerPoint®, or use an online drawing tool such as Piktochart® or Smore.

Part 2: Executive Summary
Write an executive summary of your findings in 250-525 words. Complete the following in your summary:
Explain the data shown in your image. Summarize what the difference in the numbers means for juvenile crime in your area.
Identify at least 2 diversion, intervention, or prevention programs available to juveniles in your schools or community that might help to influence future trends in the data shown in your image from Part 1. Include commentary on the efficacy of the different types of programs in your state.
Describe strategies that families, schools, communities, or law enforcement can use to interact with these youth and help to reduce their risk for delinquency.

ANSWER

Juvenile Crime and Prevention Programs

Figure 1: NEW YORK Juvenile Crime Totals (2018-2019)

This report focuses on juvenile crime numbers and totals in New York State. It compares juvenile crime total numbers in the fiscal years 2018 and 2019. To acquire the change in criminal cases and percentage change within the two years, it uses 2018 as the base year. As seen in the figure above, 2019 has decreased juvenile crime totals (19,453,561) compared to 2018, which has a higher figure (19,530,351) (Puzzanchera, Sladky, & Kang, 2020). The differences and changes are a decrease of 76,790 juvenile crime totals, equivalent to 0.39%, a positive and significant change for the state. The total number of juvenile crime numbers within the two years is 38,983,912, with New York ranked at position four with the highest numbers of juvenile crime totals (2018-2019) after the leading states of this California (78,973,811), Texas (57,624,547), and Florida (42,722,054) (Puzzanchera, Sladky, & Kang, 2020).

When comparing the trend in 2018 and 2019, it is a downward trend and a positive change. This downward trend can be maintained or better still improved by reducing juvenile crime cases and acquiring a greater positive change by adopting diverse, intervention, and prevention youth programs. This includes integrating the restorative justice model in schools and the community. In most cases, changes in laws, rules, and integration of the traditional justice model among juveniles, such as rehabilitation and getting tough with juvenile delinquents, seem ineffective. However, through a modern restorative justice model, a balance of needs among the victims, offenders, and society is achieved (Mallett & Tedor, 2018).  This way, possible juvenile crime and risk factors such as stealing food and fending for families are countered and diverted through employment opportunities. In school, the model can be implemented as a form of conflict resolution and victim-offender mediation program. Other alternatives include conducting counseling for families, parents, and the individuals, family therapy intervention, and the presence of support groups.

The New York State, through the NYS Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Program (Title V Program), seems to be efficient and effective in achieving its primary goal, which is reducing delinquency and violence among the youths (NYS, 2020). This goal has been achieved in reference to the 2018-2019 comparative study. Juvenile crime cases in the two years have reduced with a positive 0.39%. The change is substantial; however, the ultimate goal of reducing the number by 70% plus would be considered an enormous achievement. This can be achieved by integrating effective strategies in schools, homes, law enforcers, and the community where they work collaboratively to show local support and nurture crime-free environments. In schools, police officers can be hired in a liaison program to handle safety issues in learning institutions. Schools can also integrate a DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program to help peers resist substance abuse pressures. Moreover, anti-bullying and mentorship programs are essential.

In society, restorative programs, including victim-offender mediation, community sentencing, and service, can be integrated to discourage crime or create a free-crime, reducing risk factors and susceptibility for crime development. In a family set up, parents can undergo a training program as well as encourage family therapy, mostly targeting risk factors associated with their families. More importantly, parents can encourage their children to undergo targeted youth programs that cover risk factors, placing them at higher risk and susceptibility to developing that particular delinquent behavior (Mallett & Tedor, 2018). All protective programs are essential; however, prioritizing programs that confirm the reduction of developing particular juvenile delinquency is vital. The collaboration of school administrators, school programs, community members, law enforcers, and families can help reduce the risk of developing delinquent behavior among youths. This is because they are essential agents in the socialization process of all young people and sources of possible risk factors for developing delinquent behavior.

References

Mallett, C. A., & Tedor, M. F. (2018). Prevention and Diversion Programs. In Juvenille Delinquency: Pathways and Prevention (pp. 254-284). SAGE Publications, Inc.

NYS. (2020, September). New York State Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Program. Retrieved from Division of Criminal Justice Services: https://www.criminaljustice.ny.gov/ofpa/juvdelprevfactsheet.htm

Puzzanchera, C., Sladky, A., & Kang, K. (2020). Easy Access to Juvenile Populations: 1990-2019. Retrieved from https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/ezapop/asp/comparison_display.asp?display_type=counts&export_file=&printer_friendly=&col_var=v01&submit=SHOW+TABLE&v0129=v0129&v0130=v0130&selLowerYear=1&selUpperYear=1&selLowerAge=1&selUpperAge=1