How could reducing juvenile crime rates through restorative justice practices cause recidivism in Springfield Massachusetts?

Risk Factors

Anger is a huge source of criminal activity in the youth. This is beneficial for my research because it talks about a common source for the reason why the youth may continue crimes with their emotions (Acland, Erinn L)

short anger fuses had an increased likelihood in being currently violent, and prolonged anger was associated with an increased likelihood of being violent in mid-to-late adolescent age. This is beneficial to my research because it explains how different kids may handle their anger differently depending on their age group and how quickly they snap. (Acland, Erinn L)

Youth who have had exclusively nonviolent priors were at greater risk of nonviolent recidivism if they were reported to have short fuse anger. Youth who had violent prior(s) were at greater odds of reoffending if they reported prolonged anger. This is beneficial to my research because of what specific youth with specific kinds of anger may be most likely to reoffend with their crime (Acland, Erinn L)

Our findings suggest that mental health might play a major role in criminal behavior. Recommendations for the juvenile justice system and social welfare policies are provided. This research is beneficial to my research because of the psychological issues that youth may have could affect whether they spiral into crime or not
(Basto-Pereira, Miguel)

A broad spectrum of family, psychological, and social problems during childhood and adolescence has predicted several criminal indicators in adulthood. This is beneficial to my research because of how things that happen in a child's life whether it is family issues, social problems or mental problems could make them fall into crime.
(Basto-Pereira Miguel)


This study suggests that current psychological distress, drug consumption in the last year, and school grade achievement could be related to current criminal indicators in young adults with an official history of juvenile delinquency. This is beneficial to my research because it explains how psychological distress, drugs, and poor school achievement could affect young adults.
(Basto-Pereira, Miguel)

Program effectiveness.

NP was not more effective in reducing delinquency levels and recidivism than CAU. This article is beneficial to my research because programs like “New Perspectives” (or NP) may not be as effective to help with the issue of delinquency and recidivism rates.
(de Vries, Sanne L)

Many studies have shown that juvenile justice programs without a therapeutic foundation (e.g., probation, deterrence, incarceration without treatment) are ineffective in reducing juvenile delinquency. This is beneficial to my research because it explains that many places without mental treatment do not help recidivism or juvenile crime rates.
(de Vries, Sanne L)

Ways to prevent/help (Programs)

Family intervention treatment was found to reduce a significant amount of recidivism in youth compared to the traditional non-family treatment way. This is beneficial to my research because this shows a way that we may be able to help recidivism and involve families to help out with it.
(Latimer, Jeff)

The findings of previous studies on the effectiveness of prevention programs targeting risk factors, such as family factors and lack of social skills, show overall positive effects. However, the effectiveness of prevention programs may depend on certain conditions, such as the theoretical foundation, intensity, format, and components of the program.
(de Vries, Sanne L)

While researchers have not yet been able to establish a direct causal relation between these two variables, it has been demonstrated that poor academic outcomes can adversely affect a child's behavior, and early behavioral problems can lead to poor academic outcomes. This is beneficial to my research because poor academic performance can lead to juvenile delinquency, and vice versa.
(Katsiyannis, Antonis)

Studies have also shown that rates of recidivism are highly correlated with low levels of academic performance. This is beneficial to my research because recidivism can happen often with poor academic performance.
(Katsiyannis, Antonis

Research has demonstrated that the implementation of sound academic interventions, particularly in reading, can effectively reduce rates of both delinquency and recidivism. This is better for my research because having a good academic program or profile can greatly affect delinquency and recidivism, making the rates reduce a decent amount.
(Katsiyannis, Antonis)

Negative parent-child relationships in general and poor parenting in particular have been identified to be risk factors for criminal behaviors in youth. This is significant for my research because it shows that neglectful families may play a huge role in the cause for juvenile delinquency in our youth.
(Latimer, Jeff)


Serious family dysfunction, like parental criminality and family violence have also played a huge factor for criminality. This is beneficial to my research because it shows the negative effects that parents may rub off on their children with their own issues.
(Latimer, Jeff)

There have been many studies on whether or not family intervention helps recidivism, as there have been some studies that have increased recidivism rates but some have reduced recidivism rates. This is beneficial to my research because some programs that may also involve family intervention may not work that well as some may think.
(Latimer, Jeff

Several risk factors for recidivism were found: past criminal behavior (number of past offenses, young age at first offense, unknown victim of past offenses), conduct disorder, family risk factors (poor parenting skills, criminal behavior in the family, a history of physical and emotional abuse), involvement with criminal peers, and lack of treatment adherence (aggression during treatment, lack of coping strategies). This is beneficial for my research because these reasons behind recidivism are good to know because we know the psychological factors that may affect youth.
(Mulder, Eva)

Having an unknown victim in past offenses, criminal behavior in the family, lack of treatment adherence, and lack of positive coping strategies were predictive of serious (violent) recidivism. This is beneficial to my research because the lack of help a youth offender may receive may cause them to be more likely to repeat offend.
(Mulder, Eva)

The results are discussed in terms of their use for risk assessment and in improving treatment effect. Targeting poor parenting skills, involvement in a criminal environment, lack of treatment adherence, and problematic coping strategies should reduce the severity of recidivism. This is beneficial to my research because it is important to know the possible steps we have to take in order to reduce recidivism.
(Mulder, Eva)

It is widely accepted that victims of child abuse and neglect are more likely to engage in delinquent behavior as compared with their nonmaltreated counterpart. This is important to my research because it is a common fact to most people that the youth that are maltreated are most likely to fall into delinquency.
(Ryan, Joseph P.)


Youth with a history of physical abuse and neglect were more likely to have a subsequent arrest (50% vs. 37%). Conclusion: PPC programs may not be the most effective strategy for dependent youth in the juvenile justice system. This is beneficial to my research because it explains how a history with physical abuse and neglect were more likely to be arrested, and how some programs may not be the best strategy to use.
(Ryan, Joseph P.


The purpose of diversion programs is to redirect youthful offenders from the justice system through programming, supervision, and support. This is beneficial because this is the common goal of the programs and what they aim to accomplish.
(Youth.Gov

Research has shown that many youth in the juvenile justice system are there for relatively minor offenses, have significant mental health disorders, and end up in out-of-home placement or on probation by default. Diversion programs are therefore beneficial alternatives to initial or continued formal processing of youth in the juvenile delinquency system. This is beneficial to my research because it explains how the little things can negatively affect a child's life long-term and how diversion programs are able to help.
(Youth.gov)

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To reduce gang activity by focusing on strategies to disrupt recruitment and incentivize desistance by supporting programs that offer alternative support mechanisms for youth; and to support the efforts of communities to promote justice and healing for youth victims and their families as well as witnesses that have been affected by gang violence in their community. This is beneficial to my research because it explains what they try and do for not only the victims, but for their families who may be distraught by the youth behavior.
(OJJDP)

To address youth gangs, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention supports a range of programs and activities designed to prevent and suppress gang violence and Recruitment. This is beneficial to my research because it explains the goal of the program (OJJDP) to prevent recruitment in gangs and violence (OJJDP)

Furthermore, of those juveniles who do commit crimes, the majority of them will only commit one or two offenses. For these individuals, the experience of the juvenile justice system--being arrested by a law enforcement officer, facing their parents, having to spend a night in juvenile hall, interacting with a probation officer or a judge--is enough to keep them from offending again. (Lao.ca.gov)

Rebuttal Stuff


Springfield is dealing with brazen teenage car thieves and a family in Western Massachusetts is frightened their daughter’s killer could be released from prison and now this calls for stronger punishments for juvenile offenders in the state. This is beneficial for my research because there are some fears among individuals that they won't get the justice they deserve for the things they have done.
(Western Mass News)

“If you are 18 years old, and you can serve the military and you can fight and die for the country, then you damn well have the sense at 20 almost 21 to know murder is wrong,” said Stephanie Owens (mother of a victim). This is beneficial to my research because some families of victims have strong feelings about juvenile delinquency if they’re affected by the death if their family
(Western Mass News)

The most well-known of these programs is Scared Straight. The overall goal of juvenile awareness programs is to deter youth from future criminal behavior. This is beneficial to my research because it is a program that tries to prevent juvenile delinquency early.
(crimesolution,ojp.gov

The programs target youth generally less than 18 years of age who are who are officially adjudicated or convicted by a juvenile court or youth who have not officially been adjudicated delinquent, but may be in the future). This is beneficial to my research because it explains the targeted age group they want to help prevent from going into crimes. The younger in age they are, the more susceptible they may be to information.
(crimesolution.ojp.gov)

Through prison tours and aggressive presentations by incarcerated individuals, youth get to observe the consequences of criminal behavior (i.e. incarceration) and the harsh realities of life inside prison. These practices are intended to “scare” youth into leading a straight life without crime. This is beneficial to my research because it explains the method to stop juvenile delinquency from coming up by scaring the youth by showing them what happens when you’re incarcerated.
(crimesolution.ojp.gov)

Presentations often rely on intimidation, fear, and hostility to attempt to scare youth into living a life without crime. (Connected to the notes above, but talk about the method they use to track youth away from juvenile delinquency)
(crimesolution.ojp.gov

The juvenile justice system has seen marked changes: youth confinement and juvenile arrests for violent crimes dropped approximately 50 percent between 1997 and 2011. While these developments are admirable, they mask issues that remain in juvenile justice systems across the country. This is beneficial to my research because it explains that there has been a significant decrease in juvenile crime, but there's still a bunch of issues that remain.
(CSG Justice Center)

Many jurisdictions don't track recidivism, and those that do have high rates of reoffending—sometimes as high as 75 percent after three years. This is beneficial to my research because it shows the tracked recidivism rate which is abnormally high.(CSG Justice Center)

When a youth enters a juvenile detention facility or another place of incarceration, everything changes. They are separated from family members, friends, and surroundings that are familiar to them. They are supervised by uniformed guards who use strict rules (no talking, walking in a straight line) and punishments (physical/chemical restraints or solitary confinement) to maintain order in the facility. This is beneficial to my research because it describes the inhumane actions that happen to the youth as they are incarcerated (Boys and Girls Detained Youth Mentoring Program)

Boys & Girls Clubs Detained Youth Mentoring Program (BGC-DYM) seeks to engage these youth to help them understand that they can change their future and that people are willing to support them if they allow them to. This is beneficial to my research because they explain that their goal is to make sure that the youth do not face these inhumane incarcerations and instead get the help they need
(BGC-DYM)

The Boys & Girls Clubs Detained Youth Mentoring Program promotes positive outcomes. Through focused mentoring and case management, it reduces adverse outcomes for detained youth in short- or long-term juvenile detention centers. This is beneficial to my research because it explains the process and what they do to help the youth.

While the impact of mentoring on the lives of detained youth is difficult to measure, BGC-DYM programs have seen significant improvements in the lives of youth and the daily operations of the facilities the programs serve. These changes can be seen in mentees’ behavior while in detention, their engagement in Club programs and activities once released, and their desire to have siblings and friends participate in similar programs to protect them from making bad choices. Mentees are shown that their past does not have to dictate their future and that they have a support structure ready to guide them towards a brighter future. This is beneficial to my research because it describes how effective this program actually is and demonstrates how they know it works.
(BGC-DYM

Many young offenders are also victims with complex needs, leading to a public health approach that requires a balance of welfare and justice models. This is beneficial to my research because it explains how offenders have their issues that need to be helped solve as they’re victims of their own psychological problems that need attention.
(Young, Susan)