Assignment:
This is a 4-question discussion. Textbook is important to answer this and it is attached. Other sources are allowed, but textbook is important. 300-word min on each question.
1) Chapter Do you think status offenses should be illegal. Be sure that you DEFEND your answer with material from our textbook. I am not asking you if Status offenses are "bad" or "a problem" but whether they should be illegal and hence subject to arrest.
2) The chief of police of the hypothetical city of Townsburgville went on the news last night and stated that there had been a 25% increase in arrests of juveniles in his city. He listed many reasons why he thinks this increase has occurred including social media, violent video games, and parents not doing "their job". As a criminologist, you are naturally suspicious. While you agree that the arrest data show a real increase in arrests of juveniles, you know there are problems with relying on police data, especially for certain types of crimes.
After reading, I want you to list some reasons for this increase that are UNRELATED to any real increase in delinquency. In other words, what are some possible explanations for this increase in arrest rates that are the result of police behavior and data collection as opposed to anything kids are actually doing. Be sure to show an understanding of the issues related to data collection, especially as they relate to arrests (ie: UCR)
3) After reading chapter, summarize the conclusions Agnew and Brezina regarding the relationship between race and delinquency. Then, after reading the article below, explain whether you feel taking police out of schools would further increase or decrease racial disparities in arrests of minority juveniles for MINOR crimes. Spend half your essay summarizing the findings from the chapter and the other half providing your thoughts on the article on police in schools.
4) While a large portions of people in the United States believe that "it is sometimes necessary to discipline a child with a good spanking" (Straus, 1994), there is almost no consistent research which would argue there are any behavioral benefits to spanking. In fact, most research suggests the frequent spanking may increase the likelihood of delinquency somewhat and more recent has even shown a connection to spanking and decreased cognitive skills of children. So, while most theorists would agree with the research, they would disagree as to the reason WHY spanking increases the chances of these behaviors occurring. What would a social learning theorist argue is the reason why spanking has these negative effects on kids.
Readings:
Juvenile Deliquency Causes And Control
By Robert Agnew and Timothy Brezina