1. The External Environment
Chapter 3
The External Environment

2. Family & the External Environment
The family does not exist in a vacuum.
This chapter will explore the influence of the external environment on families and children.
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3. 3 Influences of the External Environment on Family & Children
Politics
Urban and Rural Environment’s
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4. Family Composition Has Changed
1970
90% of children lived in two-parent families.
2004
75% of children live in two-parent families.
16 million children live without their fathers.
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5. Prentice Hall © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
Families & Poverty
Poverty Level has fluctuated
1960
40 million people lived below the poverty line.
1970s
25 million people lived below the poverty line.
1983
35 million people lived below the poverty line.
1999
32.3 million people lived below the poverty line.
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Juvenile Justice: Theory, Systems, and Organization
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6. Definition of Family Has Changed
U.S. Census definition of family includes:
Both married and unmarried partners living together under one roof
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7. Connection between Poverty & Delinquency
The connection is tenuous.
From late 1980s into late 1990s average income for lowest income families grew less than 1% and less than 2% for middle income families, but 15% for the wealthy
There is concern that as the gap increases so does the percentage of alienated and disconnected youth.
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Juvenile Justice: Theory, Systems, and Organization
Houston/Shannon

8. Broken Homes & Delinquency
1915—36% of referrals to Cook County, IL, Juvenile Court came from homes in which one parent was missing.
1926—45% of delinquents in correctional facilities came from broken homes.
1980—children from broken homes were consistently more delinquent than children from intact homes.
Important issue since 50% of children can expect to live in a broken home
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9. Prentice Hall © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
Educational System
Education plays an important role in delinquent activity.
Failure in school is associated with low income later in life.
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Juvenile Justice: Theory, Systems, and Organization
Houston/Shannon

10. Schools and Delinquency
National Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (1995)
11.8% of high school students reported carrying a weapon on campus.
14% reported that they were offered, sold, or given drugs on campus.
7.3% said they were threatened or injured with a weapon in school.
4.4% said they skipped school because they felt threatened.
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11. Schools & Delinquency, cont’d.
Sourcebook for Criminal Justice Statistics (1999)
87.5% of students reported never having been threatened with a gun, knife, or club by another student.
95% have never been hurt by a student using a gun, knife, or club.
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12. Successful Students Have the Following Characteristics
High Motivation for Learning
Spend Time on Homework
Parents or a parent who support the efforts of teachers
Connected to School through Sports and Extra-curricular Activities
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13. Prentice Hall © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
Urban Environment
The development of the urban environment may explain the development of delinquency
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14. 4 Periods of Urbanization
Colonial Period
Expansionist Period
Urban Growth Period
Urban Transformation Period
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15. Prentice Hall © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
Colonial Period ( )
The first cities resulted from charters granted by the English and French Kings for purpose of mercantilism.
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16. Expansionist Period (1776-1900)
The United States expanded from the Atlantic to the Pacific coasts.
Population of the U.S. grew from 3.9 million in 1790 to 75.9 million in 1900.
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17. Urban Growth Period (1900-1960)
By 1920, more people began living in the cities rather than in the rural environments.
The new middle class began emerging which fueled social progress.
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18. Urban Transformation Period (1960-Present)
The passage of the Federal Aid Highway Transportation Act changed the way people moved from one location to another.
Many people fled the rural environments for the urban life.
Loss of middle class tax base impacted the demand for services.
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19. Prentice Hall © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
The Suburbs
Since WWII many citizens have moved from the inner cities to the suburbs.
There is concern that there is little for youth to do and therefore boredom ensues and youth turn to truancy, delinquency, and rebelliousness.
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20. Prentice Hall © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
Rural Environment
The rural environment is still viewed as the best place to raise children.
Rural environments still experience crime and delinquency.
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21. Rural environments experience problems with:
Longer emergency response times
Road maintenance and snow removal
Mail delivery is not available in all areas.
Telephone service can be a problem.
Treated water may be non-existent.
Electric services may be interrupted.
Trash removal is up to the home-owner.
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22. Prentice Hall © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
Political System
Working within the political context can be difficult at best.
Democracy is defined as:
“A system of community government in which, by and large, the members of a community participate, or may participate, directly or indirectly in the making of decisions which affect them all.”
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23. Violent and Repeat Juvenile Offender Act of 1997
The Juvenile Crime Bill equates
Accountability with stiffer sentences
Provides for enhanced sentences for gang membership
Provides less money for prevention programs as opposed to suppression programs.
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Houston/Shannon

24. Political Environment
In spite of the downward trend for juvenile arrests, the media focuses on juvenile crime and portrays it as being in epidemic proportions.
Many juveniles are not aware of their rights.
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25. 5 Themes and Trends in New Laws That Target Juveniles
Jurisdictional Authority
Judicial Disposition or Sentencing Authority
Correctional Programming
Confidentiality of Juvenile Court Records and Proceedings
Victims of Juvenile Crime
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26. Impact of External Environment on the Juvenile Justice System
The existence and evolution of the juvenile justice system has been directly influenced by the external environment.
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27. 4 Basic Models for Juvenile Correction
Rehabilitation Model
Justice Model
Crime Control Model
Logical Consequences Model
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28. Prentice Hall © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
Rehabilitation Model
Seeks to change an offender’s behavior and attitudes.
Use of the medical model and the view that delinquents are assumed to be “sick”
Continued belief that juveniles should be rehabilitated
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29. Prentice Hall © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc.
Justice Model
Belief that punishment should be the primary focus of the juvenile justice system.
Juveniles have free will and are responsible for their behavior
Examples of the Justice Model include the use of:
Determinate Sentences
Mandatory Sentences
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Crime Control Model
Based on Classical School of Thought
Punishment should be swift, severe, and certain.
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31. Logical Consequences Model
5 Important Assumptions:
Juveniles have free will and should be held accountable for their behavior.
Delinquents know the system well enough to be able to manipulate it.
Delinquents will modify their behavior only when the costs for delinquent behavior become too high.
Required community service is necessary because juveniles do not take probation seriously.
It is possible to develop effective relationship’s with juveniles once they have decided to take probation seriously.
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Juvenile Justice: Theory, Systems, and Organization
Houston/Shannon