5 Ways To Reduce The Juvenile Crime Problem

Evidence suggests that effective interventions in at-risk teens can get them back on track and help prevent a life of crime and incarceration. By following the tips outlined here, stakeholders can promote positive behavior changes in youth.

Encourage Positive Behavior

Many psychologists say that offering incentives for positive behavior is essential for changing juvenile behavior because they teach teenagers to try and stick with desirable behaviors.

On the other hand, punishing young people for bad behavior may reduce adverse conduct. However, the negative behavior may not be replaced with positive actions, which need to be modeled consistently for long-term results.

This theory is backed by government research that suggests that young people on probation are more responsive to rewards for good behavior than punishments. Thus, the focus on incentives for good behavior is the primary way youth can avoid activities that lead to criminal charges and the need for a criminal defense attorney and law enforcement involvement.

Promote Maturity

Juvenile activity programs that encourage maturation by encouraging intellectual development often lower recidivism rates substantially.

But interventions that focus on discipline and punishment may encourage young people to commit more crimes. Also, law enforcement actions that focus on surveillance have little effect and may promote recidivism.

Focus On Youth Development

Research also shows that focusing on positive youth development in at-risk communities can promote the needs of young people who may be more likely to commit crimes.

Positive youth development typically centers on these areas:

• Employment
• Personal relationships
• Education
• Health
• Community
• Creativity

When youth development programs help youth in these domains, it’s more likely there will be positive results.

Home Visitation With Single Mothers

Some interventions start long before teens get in trouble. There are programs where nurses and social workers visit single mothers with low income in their sixth month of pregnancy and beyond that center on the mother and child’s health.

These visits also support the mother’s relationships with family and ensure that she enrolls in relevant social service programs.

Follow-up studies show that mothers and children in this program had a 55% lower chance of being arrested. There also was an 80% lower rate of child abuse and a 56% lower risk of child runaways.

Bully Prevention

Bully prevention programs in junior high school are effective, too. Such programs focus on the children engaging in bullying and those that are victimized most often.

Teachers and administrative staff learn about when and how bullying happens at the school. Then, class rules are established, and discussions are held that prevent bullying from occurring again.

These programs create a more positive and safer school environment that prevents young people from turning to crime later.

When Do Juvenile Crimes Occur?

When parents, teachers, and other stakeholders employ the methods above, there is a better chance that teenagers will stay on the straight and narrow and avoid trouble.

Following these guidelines is essential because data show that juvenile crime most often happens between 2-6 pm after school. Reports also indicate that about 25% of teen crime happens during this time, and the most frequent offenses are theft, assault, and drug-related crimes.

Further, it’s estimated approximately 11 million children and teenagers are home after school without adult supervision. Inadequate adult guidance indeed leads to more youth crime, but another program is simple boredom.

Surveys done in the early 2000s suggest that bored teenagers are more likely to engage in negative behaviors.

But the good news is many of these problems can be avoided when there are enough interventions for at-risk young people.

Hopefully, more responsible adults, including families, parents, and teachers, will continue to provide these programs to reduce the juvenile crime problem.

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