Crime Causation and Diversion

Crime Causation and Diversion

Darryl Arnold, Jr.

CJS/245 – Week two

14 December 2015

Instructor Cory Kelly

Crime Causation and Diversion

There has been a surge of juveniles entering the criminal justice system for the past known years and much of the debate has been how and what means do we have to help put this trend to rest. Is there anything we can do? Will the programs that are in place help? Will the juveniles benefit from these programs? Here in Florida there are a few programs that work hard trying to do just that in helping our juveniles. The Juvenile Arbitration program and The Turning Point: Re-Thinking Violence programs both are commonly used to help train and get the juveniles to think of what they have done and take responsibility.

Juvenile Trends in Florida

The Florid Department of Juvenile Justice has been positing juvenile trends since 2010 to get the community to see how the numbers are falling or rising. In 2010-11 and 2012-13 the population of 10-17 year olds decreased half a percent. The population for 10-17 year olds was estimated to be approximately 1.84 million, and 1.83 million in FY 20132-13. There were frequent juvenile offenses which were considered misdemeanors for assault or battery and of those 11,885 delinquency arrests were made for assault and battery as the most offensive. Also in the same year 8,874 delinquency arrests were for Burglary as a felony offense. Over all the crime rate is down from 50 delinquency arrests per 1,000 juveniles during FY 2010-11 to 46 arrests for every 1,000 juveniles during FY 2012-13.

Since the rise of crime and the need for law enforcement officials the need to integrate different aspects into their job duties have been made. Law Enforcement personnel must help identify juvenile behavior and individuals and try to get them the help needed to make a life change. As stated by Champion (1994), police officers have the opportunity to...