Sociology 2105A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Young Offender, Informal Social Control, Kea
1 Dec 2014
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Document Summary
Offender profiles: who is labeled a criminal" follows a distinctive social pattern, some young people are over-represented. Aboriginal youth represent about 4% of the population but represent 22% of the youth incarcerated. Social factors in offending: common social characteristics of offenders (aka cumulative risks, 16-19 years of age. At age 16, most common is theft. If a youth is convicted of homicide they are generally 19: the older the youth the more violent the crime. Higher use of weapons: young men are more likely than women to offend. Men are more likely to reoffend: ethnic-minority, especially aboriginal, low socio-economic backgrounds, do not live in nuclear families, history of drug and alcohol abuse, intellectual disabilities or mental illness, seriousness and extent of offence(s) A large proportion of young offenders stop offending as they get older. A small group account for large number of court appearances: younger ages of first offence have a higher likelihood of re-offending.
