Sociology 2267A/B Chapter Notes - Chapter 12: Juvenile Court, Multisystemic Therapy, Moral Panic
30 Apr 2018
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Chapter 12- A Century After the Fact: What Do We Know? Where Are We Going?
Introduction:
• Imp struct change JJS came 1980s, w Young Off Act (YOA) and intro alt measures,
change maint and strengthened extrajudicial measures YCJA
• YCJA also intro struct change w provisions adult sents, thereby eroding fund precept
juvenile justice system- separateness from adult system and Bill C-10 cont move
• Hundred years ago talked about “delinquents”, then by 1970s “young off” and now
“youth criminals”
Rethinking juvenile justice:
What we know:
• All crime rates CN down, including violent and youth crime- yet moral panic still rages
and public cont warned about new frightening dangers and threats, even from toddlers
• V few young people CN actually involved crim activity and justice system and majority
off involved minor off- youth crime always seems be issue every new gen adults
• Lesson should have learned from examination hist juvenile justice and cont reform efforts
is our system is failing children and youth= failing provide care and protection need and
should be entitled under UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
• Should have learned supervision and institutionalization punitive, repressive control
measures and not solutions youth crime (can be mechanisms and tools perpetuate
injustices)
Answering the questions:
• Social constructionist persp= crime, criminal, dangerous and other labels ass young
people and actions social constructions, products social activity and enterprise
• Birmingham School- public discourses youth crime and justice moral panics and youth
measuring stick all “good” about our soc and all adults hope and dream for future
• Youth and kids scapegoats all good in soc and for all adults fear about themselves= comp
good old days, kids not so bad, disrespectful, crim, disobedient and out of control
• Labels all moral statements adults fear, opposed what value and wish for
• Perceived threats and sig one is youth crime and inability YJS control it= youth crisis
Media texts:
• Specific and consistent texts in public discourse- moral panics and youth crisis fears=
revolve around intersections race, class, gender, sexuality and colonialism (not gen)
• Discourse and constructions not about behav prob; about who engaging in behav/ who
receiving end behav and why both signals danger
• Violence constructed prob when white, middle-class girls and boys seen engage and
when victims white and middle-class/ adults/ elderly
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• Child and youth victimization by adults not prob unless perpetuated by stranger- youth
crisis seems arise each new gen, crisis changes when dom hierarchies based on classism,
racism, sexism and heterosexism challenged
Locating change: Global Context:
• Juvenile justice system is governance designed set rules about how youth are to be
governed, reg and managed- inf moral crisis and youth crisis discourse, also infl and
informed larger changes at national and global levels ex: internat comm moved toward
est legal standards human rights and children’s rights, so did CN gov
• Reflected intro legal protections YOA and sim approp mods YCJA, restrictions use
custody and more legally correct mechanism bringing more and younger youth under
jurisdiction adult system- balanced internat stands w interests CN lobby groups
• Moved neoliberal form governance, some ref more actuarial and managerial modes gov
and reg= setting targets and perf indicators enable auditing efficiency and effectiveness,
costing and testing all activities ensure value for money
• Gov philosophies changed welfare orientation w rehabilitation focus (JDA)→ liberal
orientation w justice/ rights focus (YOA)→ neolib orientation (YCJA)
• Changed rehabilitating delinquent, to reintegrating young off, to making youth
accountable, to being concerned youth at risk (inconsistent and changing)
• Since 2000, Stats CN changing police reporting stats, collecting dif kinds info, such as
gang rel crime and breaking youth apprehensions into charged and cleared otherwise
• Changed how info distributed- used be readily accessible libraries now only avail online
in condensed form/ for fee= more info gov controlled ever before (fed gov controls what
known crime and justice, more so now than ever before)
Locating change: Criminological context:
• From disorganization theory came Chicago Area Project, 1940-1950s under direction
soc- detached street worker considered most unique and promising feat project
• Mobilization for Youth Project NY 1960s, involved comm org self-help and 1970s, Cali
Youth Services Bureau, where comm leaders and agencies hired profs deliver services
youth in comm (attempt dev diversionary progs)
• CN hist, sim most US outside large projects mentioned above, been on hodgepodge
single-factor, single-agency approaches programming based on whatever appealed staff
at part agency
• Primary reason US leadership in field= unis have infrastruct support large-scale crim
research projects that also includes generous gov and corporate funding
• 1970s, Martinson’s “nothing works” and growing infl labelling theory, paved way
philosophy radical non-intervention and diversionary policies and programs- treatment
dem ineff, fallout large-scale urban projects also cont notions comm restoration projects
such as Chicago Area Project wasted efforts- leaving alone been just as eff and far less
expensive (non-intervention keep out prisons)
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• Late 1970s-80s became era comm-based prog delivered through group homes and variety
residential facilities
• Large-scale, gov-funded, longitudinal research agendas early 1990s, involving teams US
researchers based efforts dev integrative theories predict del- multiple paths to del,
opened door dev crim lifecourse approach understanding del causation and ended w
single-factor approach prog= more comprehensive comm-wide approach prog involve
multiple aspects child’s life
• Seeds multisystemic intervention approach del control, as well emph on risk and
resiliency imp concepts understanding del and how respond effectively
Control texts:
• Hist del theory, always gap b/w theory, research accompanies and actual prog youth-
often progs dev response need, while changing directions prog may come from changing
prefs, new directions and innovative border crossings-theoretical and research directions
cross boundaries b/w disciplines and perspectives
• New directions 21st cent attributed David Hawkins and Richard Catalano, integrating
concepts medical/ health field w del causation research, able bridge gap b/w causation
theory and prog- used ident risk and protective factors and prog= reducing risk factors
and building and promoting protective factors
• Delinquency prog talk finally moved away from theory into realm conducive neolib gov
styles
Science of prevention:
• 21st cent= crime-prevention discourse, not treatment and rehab, and talk at-risk youth,
resiliency and protective factors
• Lots research, energy and gov money devoted dev ass tools allow ident high/ low risk
levels individ youth- prog strats designed and eval pot reduce risk crime individ youth
and comm
• Body of research beginning dev around cost effectiveness prog relative crim activity ex:
home intervention costly (CN progs funded fed crime prevention progs required provide
sim cost-ben analysis, saw w multisystemic therapy)
• Assess utility progs and part govs decide which project proposals receive gov funding
implementation
• Meta-analysis helps ident not only what works in terms risk reduction, but also how long
takes reduce risk- shortest and cheapest way reduce crime
• Measuring prog succ terms recidivism feeds crime-control/law-and-order agenda
Where are we going?
• Juvenile justice more than law and admin and system governance- also package includes
youth, behav and how respond legally and inform, as well assumptions, beliefs and
philosophies underlie both law and system gov and laws, policies and practices dev from
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