Cjs 221 Week 5

Juvenile Offenders

Angelia Bailey

CJS 221

07/11/2016

Linda Fisher-Lewis

Juvenile Offenders

Not all children grow up the same or around the same things in their lives. Some kids only have to worry about their crush and acne in high school. Other kids have worse and more serious issues to deal with. Adolescent children who become involved in the court system each require different services unique to their individual situation. They can get involved with the court system by participating in risky, unlawful things or by spending time in a juvenile detention center or many other things correlating with breaking the law. According to "Juvenile Defense Lawyer" (2014), "If your child is arrested, there is no right to bond in juvenile law cases in the State of Texas. Technically, your child temporarily becomes a ward of the state and is not considered to be in custody. After your child is detained initially, he or she does have a right to a 72-hour detainer hearing where we can fight to get your child out and put into your custody.” (para. 2) The three notable exceptions are property crimes, violent crimes and homicide. These are exceptions because African Americans are shown to be the predominant offenders in those cases.

Juvenile Offenders and Race

It is commonly perceived that the majority, if not all, of juvenile offenders are African American or of another race than Caucasians. There is data, reports, and facts that actually prove Caucasian juveniles are actually the majority of offenders. Some data shows that African Americans are more likely to end up in the system due to their environment or lack of education. It has been said by an unknown source that adolescent children seek the attention of crime to fill the void they feel they have in their lives.

The Reason

When we look closer at the Juvenile system and the ‘why’ these children commit crimes, there are a few key factors as to why they do. A lack of education about various things, not just schooling, is one factor that has been considered. Another factor that is well known is the area or environment these children grow up in. Not everyone is raised in a loving home where they are taught right from wrong. Another factor, in relation to the previous statement, is the lack of attention children receive from home. Youth offenders most often experience a lack of love, affection, attention, or care for their well-being within their homes. Children who feel they are not loved or wanted at home often rebel and act out. They tend to get with the wrong crowds or any crowd that welcomes them. A lot of adolescent children commit crimes because of how angry they are about things in their lives. Sometimes, the more the child goes through or is exposed to at such a young age, the more violent or serious the crime is.