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The program “Crime during the Transition to Adulthood" explains the transition on how youth change and involve in delinquency as they leave out-of-home care. The transition from childhood to adulthood is arguably the most difficult phase of any human life. For some young people, the guidance of their parents may still be available but for many teens, this phase may especially be difficult while they are leaving their child welfare system. Many people move out to independence gradually; however, those who live in childcare systems don't get any guidance and care that parents can provide. However, this is the age where most young people are at risk and need more emotional and financial support than ever. This program studies the criminal behavior and the justice system that deals with those crimes among young people that are aging out from their home care center and stepping in adulthood. The research also covers the effect of social bonds that a person makes on his intent towards a crime. The scope of this program covers
The difference among offending patterns in foster youth as compared to that of the overall population.
The effect of placement type on criminal behavior during the transition from childhood to adulthood.
The effect of previous experiences of aggressive behavior with parents, educational system, and workplaces.
This program/study was intended to meet the social control theories of “Travis Hirschi's Social Control/ Social Bonds Theory,” “Walter Reckless’s Containment Theory,” and “Development/Life Course Theory.”
The first part of the program refers to Travis Hirschi's social control theory in which he proposed different forms of social bonds that helps in encouraging rationalization and socialization. While the second and third research topic relates specifically to “Walter Reckless’s containment theory” and “Life course theory” respectively. The report examined delinquent behaviors which ranged from serious acts of violence, minor property offenses, to taking something from the store worth even less than $50, and even shooting or stabbing someone ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"RYPBT9LO","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Cusick et al.)","plainCitation":"(Cusick et al.)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":142,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/cYhHNKoU/items/NELNKJZE"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/cYhHNKoU/items/NELNKJZE"],"itemData":{"id":142,"type":"book","title":"Crime during the transition to adulthood: How youth fare as they leave out-of-home care","publisher":"National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, US Department of …","ISBN":"1-249-83687-5","author":[{"family":"Cusick","given":"Gretchen Ruth"},{"family":"Courtney","given":"Mark E."},{"family":"Havlicek","given":"Judy"},{"family":"Hess","given":"Nathan"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2010"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Cusick et al.). The study found that most of the crimes are committed by foster youth when they are between the ages of 16-17 years old. The differences between foster youth and their Add health peer in their offending behaviors were very few. The results of offense were less in both of these cases as compared to that between the ages of 16-17. However, across the two sample groups, the differences were more than two to three percent in both cases. The engagement chances of foster youth in delinquency are much more than that of the general public. In the sample groups, almost a quarter of them took part in a group fight, while 6 percent of them drew a knife or gun at someone. At the age between 21 and 22, the differences between the sample groups even decreased further between the groups under study. The significant difference that was found between these two groups stealing and damage of property, which were more common in foster youth. When compared to add health youth, the number of foster youths that were being arrested at the ages between 18 and 19 was far more. This was true in both the cases of males and females. The number of females that were arrested from foster youth were shockingly even more than their male counterparts in add health sample. The delinquencies such as drug selling, threatening someone, use of weapon and involvement in a physical fight all declined from age 19 to age 21. In general, delinquent acts increased in late adolescence and started to decrease in early adulthood.
The effect of marriage, parenthood but especially in this case, employment are key factors that can contribute positively to social interactions and have a strong impact on routine activities. They help in the reduction of offender’s desire to continue doing criminal acts by reducing criminal opportunities. The theories that were related mostly focuses on interaction with the environment in which young people are living. The hypothesis that a person is maturing depends upon the stabilizing of emotions, more knowledge about one's environment and focus on more future-oriented personal grooming. Such changes which occur with age increase one intellect to reason morally and reduce his/her impulsive behavior. However, the change with increase in moral intellect also differs in foster youth as compared to the rest of general public because they lack of support and guidance.
This program relates itself to Travis Hirschi's Social bond theory by explaining the effect of the lack of attachment to parents, lack of commitment in the form of participation in social activities that could have been possible with the presence of parents. This program also discussed a lack of involvement in social activities that can shape a person’s moral values when he ages out from adolescent to adulthood. The attachment of parents is strong and can prevent people from doing any serious crime; however, if they are not present, that can cause an even greater effect in the involvement of crime. Young people usually fill the lack of affection their parents can provide with the abuse of drugs and involvement in crimes.
The second theory that is being related in this program is Walter Reckless's containment theory in which relates to the increase of criminal acts and its external and internal containments. The theory states that for every person, there is an internal and external structure which cause containment and protection. This protection acts as a shield from delinquent acts. However, foster youth lacks such a defense system because there is no one to act as a guide for different life activities and define a set of limits and responsibilities for him. Foster youth also lacks a clear sense of belonging to a specific group or person. These things result in the absence of self-control, well-developed conscience and frustration tolerance.
The last theory, which is related to this program, is the theory of development and life course theory. This theory explains the effect of behaviors that can cause deviation in actions over time. The program mentioned the effect of age on the development of personalities and the reduction in delinquencies with it. There are in general four basic components that can define this prevention of involvement in criminal offenses. 1) finding it more difficult to spend time in prison. 2) criminal justice laws for adults are severe which makes them think of the long-term consequences they might face. 3) The stress and fear caused by the laws overwhelm them from doing anything. 4) Increase in the Likelihood of punishment. These fears can be caused by the structural expectations that they might face as well as the building of intimate relationships and responsibilities ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"Czpytwbn","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Lussier et al.)","plainCitation":"(Lussier et al.)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":143,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/cYhHNKoU/items/VBQRNSSI"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/cYhHNKoU/items/VBQRNSSI"],"itemData":{"id":143,"type":"article-journal","title":"The adolescence–adulthood transition and desistance from crime: Examining the underlying structure of desistance","container-title":"Journal of Developmental and Life-Course Criminology","page":"87-117","volume":"1","issue":"2","author":[{"family":"Lussier","given":"Patrick"},{"family":"McCuish","given":"Evan"},{"family":"Corrado","given":"Raymond R."}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2015"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Lussier et al.). The reduction in crime can also be caused by increased responsibilities and mental maturity.
The program was successful in finding out their results. These findings can have many implications and effects on policymaking in the future. The comparison of this research of the Midwest study and Add health data has helped in determining the result that foster youth, just like their peers involve in fewer crimes and delinquencies as they move into their adulthood. However, the reports of criminal behaviors were more in foster youth as compared to general public with exception of a few differences between the ages between 19-21.
Work Cited
ADDIN ZOTERO_BIBL {"uncited":[],"omitted":[],"custom":[]} CSL_BIBLIOGRAPHY Cusick, Gretchen Ruth, et al. crime during the Transition to Adulthood: How Youth Fare as They Leave out-of-Home care. National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, US Department of …, 2010.
Lussier, Patrick, et al. “The Adolescence–Adulthood Transition and Desistance from Crime: Examining the Underlying Structure of Desistance.” Journal of Developmental and Life-Course Criminology, vol. 1, no. 2, 2015, pp. 87–117.
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