Crime Causation Paper
Crime Causation and Diversion Paper
James Coleman
CJA/374
July 15, 2013
University Phoenix
In society today, there are more juveniles that chose to get involved in criminal activity. The lack of parental guidance, low self-esteem, extremely poor decision-making and communication skills, mixed with a negative peer group, and a dysfunctional family unit, are some of the characteristics of delinquent youth and the fuel to some of the youth crime problems. With this being stated, there are also several different types of juvenile intervention, diversion and prevention programs and available resources for these juvenile to help with rehabilitation before the problems goes too far or to slow down or stop juveniles being life offenders while adults. The programs are created to help the juveniles with criminal activity issues along with helping reduce the rate of re-commitment of these crimes. Within this paper, I will choose two programs from the State of Texas, explain how these programs function, work and the goals to help reduce juvenile crime and increase the rehabilitation rate. I will also discuss the objectives and core beliefs of these programs as well as who the key participants involved. Also discussed will be the services these programs provide for the youth as well as family. The last portion of the paper will provide the comparison of these programs and identifications will be made on which may be more effective at the reduction and probable prevention of juvenile crime and how that may be true in the effectiveness of the program. Texas the largest of all fifty states have programs with different wording and effectiveness, but the goal is the same. Tarrant County, Texas has a program called Youth Offender Diversion Alternative or YODA, targets youth ages of 17-25. The youth the program focuses on are the ones that are charges with family violence involving no intimate relatives. The program is a diversion program that aims to provide with
James Coleman
CJA/374
July 15, 2013
University Phoenix
In society today, there are more juveniles that chose to get involved in criminal activity. The lack of parental guidance, low self-esteem, extremely poor decision-making and communication skills, mixed with a negative peer group, and a dysfunctional family unit, are some of the characteristics of delinquent youth and the fuel to some of the youth crime problems. With this being stated, there are also several different types of juvenile intervention, diversion and prevention programs and available resources for these juvenile to help with rehabilitation before the problems goes too far or to slow down or stop juveniles being life offenders while adults. The programs are created to help the juveniles with criminal activity issues along with helping reduce the rate of re-commitment of these crimes. Within this paper, I will choose two programs from the State of Texas, explain how these programs function, work and the goals to help reduce juvenile crime and increase the rehabilitation rate. I will also discuss the objectives and core beliefs of these programs as well as who the key participants involved. Also discussed will be the services these programs provide for the youth as well as family. The last portion of the paper will provide the comparison of these programs and identifications will be made on which may be more effective at the reduction and probable prevention of juvenile crime and how that may be true in the effectiveness of the program. Texas the largest of all fifty states have programs with different wording and effectiveness, but the goal is the same. Tarrant County, Texas has a program called Youth Offender Diversion Alternative or YODA, targets youth ages of 17-25. The youth the program focuses on are the ones that are charges with family violence involving no intimate relatives. The program is a diversion program that aims to provide with