Juvenile delinquency Essay Example for Free

Juvenile delinquency Essay The controversy surrounding the extent and causation of delinquency would be eliminated if a uniform meaning could be attributed to the term delinquency. This word however is not used in a uniform manner not only among individuals but also consistently by a single individual. Juvenile delinquency means and represents many things to many individuals. To the police, a delinquent juvenile may be an underage criminal; to the school authorities, the rude boy who smokes in the washroom may represent delinquency. To parents, other peoples children who are uncontrolled are termed as delinquents while to the storekeeper, the gang of boys who loiter around may be their conception of delinquents. Even social workers and experts who work with children lack agreement on the limits of the concept. In some sectors, authorities discuss delinquency as emotionally disturbed behavior while others refer to persistently anti-social behavior. Some researchers on the other hand have defined it as a disappointing behavior beyond reasonable expectation. This confusion with regard to the meaning of delinquency is a problem that naturally emanates from any attempt to satisfactorily define, in less descriptive sentences, a kind of social problem which is neither legal nor behavioral (Roucek*). Any definition which works for the agency, school or neighborhood is right in its own context as any other definition. However, the numerous assortments of behavior that have been referred to as delinquency do not entirely differ; they only vary in their range. While functionally, a youth who is not liked by the neighbors may be termed delinquent in that particular neighborhood, it is within the law that the meaning of juvenile delinquency finds its ultimate basis. The legal foundation of juvenile delinquency can be traced back to the development of legal philosophy which exempted children from guilt for criminal acts. Even though the distinction between adult and child is a very old concept, the idea of juvenile courts and separate custody for young violators is a relatively new phenomenon*. Children under the age of seven years were deemed incapable of criminal acts in Roman law. This has extended to the present period. Throughout the development of criminal law in the United States, childhood has acted as defense to criminal liability. This was founded on the assumption that a child is not capable of men’s rea. The culpability of children between seven and puberty was further distinguished by the Romans, and later the English, with the assumption being that children within this category are not capable of crimes unless there was sufficient evidence presented that they did comprehend the wrongness of their action. An early New York statute followed this policy but was later extended to fourteen and again to sixteen. Presently, all states have increased their maximum age limit beyond puberty. The most popular age limit of childhood is eighteen, sixteen, seventeen and twenty one in that order. The pioneer court legislation of the State of Illinois is accredited with offering the first legal distinction of delinquency from crime in 1899. The definition that was used during that time is still applied in the state besides serving as a model for many other states. According to this definition, the words â€Å"delinquent child† means â€Å"any male child under the age of seventeen years or any female child who while under the age of eighteen years, violates any law of the state; or is incorrigible, or knowingly associate with thieves, vicious or immoral persons, or without just cause and without the consent of its parents, guardians or custodian, absents itself from its home or place of abode, or is growing up in idleness or crime; or knowingly frequents a house of ill-repute; or knowingly frequents any policy shop or place where any gaming device is operated; or frequents any saloon or dram shop where intoxicating liquors are sold; or patronizes or visits any public pool room or bucket shop; or wonders about the streets in the night without being on any lawful business or lawful occupation; or habitually wonders about any railroad yards or tracks or jumps or attempts to jump onto any moving train; or enters any car or engine without la wful authority; or uses vile, obscene, vulgar, profane or indecent language in any public place or about any school house; or is guilty of indecent or lascivious conduct†*. Any child who commits any of these acts is deemed a delinquent child. Delinquency in this regard can be seen as any act committed by a child which would be a crime if committed by an adult. In this sense, delinquent behavior is restricted to violation of criminal law. The law however does not solve the differences in definition. Criminal laws vary from state to state even though there is an element of uniformity and specificity in their view of felonies. However, they are not very specific on their definitions of misdemeanors. This is just the start of the non-specificity that characterizes the definition of juvenile delinquency. From the definition according to Illinois law, a child is defined as any male under the age of seventeen or female under the age of eighteen. This age varies from state to state with the majority considering juveniles as boys and girls under the age of eighteen. In California, one may be considered a juvenile until he or she reaches the age of twenty one. In states such as Georgia, one ceases to be a juvenile after he or she attains the age of sixteen. However, majority of the states lack any clear demarcation as one may be prosecuted as an adult for more serious crimes before attaining the upper limit of juvenile status. In Illinois, an individual may be tried as an adult criminal after he or she attains the age of ten. In the United States, the states of New Hampshire, Oklahoma and Virginia lack an age range where there is jurisdiction of both juvenile delinquency law and adult criminal law. In the remaining states, there is variation in the duration of this period of dual jurisdiction. In Wisconsin and Indiana, it is sixteen to eighteen while in California, it is eighteen to twenty one. In law, delinquency is a much wide concept even though the terms are often used interchangeably in popular discourse. Delinquency encompasses all acts committed by a child which would be considered a crime is committed by an adult. It also encompasses a wide array of loosely defined behavior which legislators conceived of to be conducive to crime. The law on delinquency is thus designed to bar juveniles from growing into adult criminals besides dealing with crimes committed by juveniles. Any concept that lacks a definite definition such as delinquency cannot be adequately measured. However, statistics on delinquency are compiled on local, state and national basis. When appraising the significance of such statistics, much care should be taken. Several things can be implied when referring to the quantity of delinquency in a particular area or in a given period of time. One may mean the number of juveniles; say ten to seventeen years of age, who have violated particular standards of behavior which also may not be precisely defined. Again, a reference may be made on the number of such youth who are detected in such behavior. It may also mean the number of cases that have been handled by the official agencies and finally, it may mean the cases that have been formally heard by a juvenile court and adjudged delinquent. In the United States, the most commonly cited statistics on delinquency refer to the court cases which is the narrowest category of delinquents. The Juvenile Court Statistics which is published yearly by the Childrens Bureau of the United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare contain these statistics. The compilation begun in 1923 and has undergone drastic alterations and revisions over the decades. It contains reports on the number of youth’s adjudicated delinquent and is founded on a tabulation of separate court judgments in a particular year.

Crime and Punishment Quotes :: essays research papers

1. â€Å"†¦all is in a man's hands and he lets it all slip from cowardice, that's an axiom. It would be interesting to know what it is men are most afraid of.† –Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By saying this Raskolnikov suggests that men are capable of doing whatever they wish, and the only thing that holds them back are their fears. Because of this Raskolnikov wonders what man’s greatest fear is, and with that comes the one thing that no man is capable of doing. 2. â€Å"†¦for though Pyotr Petrovitch has been so kind as to undertake part of the expenses of the journey, that is to say, he has taken upon himself the conveyance of our bags and big trunks.† -Pulcheria Alexandrovna Raskolnikov   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This is a passage from the letter that Rodion’s mother sent to him, his mother is telling him that Dounia’s fiancà © has taken care of the traveling expenses for Dounia and her mother to St. Petersburg. 3. â€Å"I see that I want nothing. Do you hear? Nothing at all . . . no one's services . . . no one's sympathy. I am by myself . . . alone. Come, that's enough. Leave me alone.† - Rodion Romanovich Raskolnikov   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After burying the goods he stole from the pawn broker, Raskolnikov is walking around and decides to visit his friend Razumihin. At first it is almost as if Raskolnikov planned on asking his friend for advice about what he should do about the murders he committed. However, he becomes very nervous and leaves his friend’s home as quickly as possible. 4. â€Å"Life is real! haven't I lived just now? My life has not yet died with that old woman! The Kingdom of Heaven to her--and now enough, madam, leave me in peace! Now for the reign of reason and light . . . and of will, and of strength!† –Raskolnikov   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Through speaking with Marmeladov’s daughter, Polenka, Raskolnikov realizes that life is worth living, and that it can still hold an important meaning. This sheds light on the fact that Raskolnikov realizes that even if a person is not capable of doing good, their life should not be ended. 5. â€Å"Ordinary men have to live in submission, have no right to transgress the law, because, don't you see, they are ordinary. But extraordinary men have a right to commit any crime and to transgress the law in any way, just because they are extraordinary.

Valuable Traditional Events on New Year’s Day

A racial group or an ethnic group is defined by its culture and religion. This is because the collective actions of people who belong to the same group are guided by that group’s cultural values and religious beliefs. The global community consists of several racial and ethnic groups with different sets of cultural values and religious beliefs. The differences in these beliefs explain why people all over the world do not dress alike (Muslim women are prohibited from wearing skimpy clothes which are popular among western women); do not eat the same food (unlike Christians, Muslims do not eat pork); and do not treat one another in the same manner (western women are allowed more freedom than Muslim women). Sometimes these differences are minor and easily ignored, thereby facilitating relationships across cultures. At other times, however, such differences become very antagonistic and irreconcilable as to develop into major irritants and even cause wars. Since people from different cultures believe and behave differently, traditions also vary across cultures. Traditions consist of the customs and practices which people consider important enough to hand down from generation to generation in order to preserve their core cultural values and beliefs. Every culture has several important traditions. In Korea, for example, one of the most important traditions is the manner of celebrating the biggest event of every year: New Year’s Day. Seol-Nal in the Korean language, the celebration starts with all Koreans, children and adults alike, greeting one another with the usual â€Å"Happy New Year† greeting. Actually, the actual Korean greeting, when literally translated into English, means: â€Å"I wish you have a great year and good luck this year. † Koreans greet one another while bowing their heads. Children, particularly, are enjoying this bowing and greeting tradition. While the tradition is for elder people to give their advice to their family members who bow to them, when children do the bowing, tradition dictates that the elders should give them â€Å"lucky money. † This tradition dates back as early as four hundred years ago. Children, therefore, could get â€Å"lucky money† from their parents, their aunts and uncles, and their grandparents. Koreans consider this a very important tradition because it shows their elders’ desire for the success of the members of their families. Therefore, this â€Å"lucky money† is a means of helping them start their new year in a prosperous manner. For the children, â€Å"lucky money† means new clothes, backpacks, pens and pencils because they want to return to school with brand new clothes and school supplies. Because of the importance of the New Year’s Day celebration, Koreans, wherever they are, make it a point to do their utmost in order to go back home to celebrate this event together with their families since most of them are now living elsewhere because of their jobs. Korean families of two hundred years ago usually lived in one big house where they could always have time to talk about their affairs and their problems. Nowadays, the New Year’s Day celebration is the only occasion during which they could be together again and talk just like old times. The celebration actually starts on the eve of the New Year called Sut dal kum mum in the Korean language. To prepare for the New Year, Koreans clean their houses thoroughly. After the house-cleaning, they light halogens of different colors. Then they take hot water bath and light sticks made of bamboo because they believe that doing so would drive the evil spirits away. Koreans do not sleep during New Year’s Eve. The belief is that when one goes to sleep, his or her eyebrows â€Å"would turn white. † Then the coming of the New Year is welcomed by switching on all the lights in the whole house and keeping their eyes wide open (Society for the Confluence of Festivities in India). Then they take their bath early the following morning, New Year’s Day, and dress themselves up in new clothes. Afterwards, the bowing and giving of â€Å"lucky money† begins immediately. Meanwhile, the day is spent by Korean women in cooking delicious meals. Almost all Koreans cook the traditional rice-cake soup called â€Å"Deok-Guk† on New Year’s Day. According to them, this stands for purity because its color is white. The Korean saying is that if â€Å"Deok-Guk† is served on New Year’s Day, those who eat will have a longer life because the rice cake used in making the soup are long. Korean children love â€Å"Deok-Guk† because they believe that they will grow faster and taller when they eat it during this day. Aside from â€Å"Deok-Guk,† Koreans also cook many healthy recipes which contain plenty of meat and vegetables (SCFI). Koreans, in keeping with tradition, also celebrate the day by drinking a special kind of liquor which, according to them, improves their hearing power. In other words, when they drink this liquor on New Year’s Day, they are convinced that their sense of hearing will be in excellent condition throughout the year. Their ancestors are also part of the celebration. In a ritual which they call Chesa, the ancestors are being energized so that they could bless their descendants. This ritual is being conducted in a clean room where there is an altar with foods on it according to a specified arrangement. First, the meat is placed on the left side of the altar and the rice drink is on the right side of the altar. Then all items colored white should be on the western side and the red-colored foods on the eastern side. In addition, if any food contains heads and tails, the head should be situated on the east while the tail should be positioned facing west. Finally, using a special paper which Koreans call Chi Bang, the name of the male ancestors are then written clearly on the left side while the female ancestors’ name are written on the right, arranged in the order of their ages. For instance, the names of the great grandparents come first, followed by the names of the grandparents, then the names of the parents if they are already dead. This particular ritual, according to Koreans, is being observed in order to obtain the blessings of their descendants (SCFI). Koreans also believe that their ancestors are living in the sky and are always ready to protect them. Because of this belief, one of their traditions is a memorial service conducted for their ancestors. First, they prepare different kinds of food and then place them, together with the framed photographs of their ancestors, on a big table. Then every member of the family should bow in front of the photographs of their ancestors two times at the same time wishing for the protection of the whole family. After everybody is done with the bowing, the elders offer alcoholic drink to their ancestors. Then everybody is allowed to spend a quiet time in the room so that they can talk with their ancestors. Afterwards, everybody leaves the room and silence is maintained in the whole house to enable the ancestors to come down from the sky and eat the food prepared for them. Most Koreans observe this custom which is believed to be one thousand years old already. After the rituals have been observed, the family members, especially the children, find time to play. Most of the games being played are outdoor games because they are considered good for the health, especially for children. Some of the more popular outdoor games for New Year’s Day are tops-spinning, kite flying, and the Korean game called Jae gi cha gi which is like the game where hacky sacks are kicked. Another traditional game which is very popular among Koreans because it could be played almost anywhere is called Yut-nol-ee. This game is usually played during the New Year’s Day and everyday until the fifteenth day of January. Children are very fond of this game because it involves stick-throwing (SCFI). People from different cultural backgrounds observe their traditional events every year not only to commemorate significant occasions but more importantly, to be able to hand down tradition from generation to generation for the purpose of preserving their core cultural values. This is the most effective method of keeping their cultures alive. Koreans subscribe to this school of thought. This is why efforts are being exerted to require the current generation and the generations to come to keep Korean traditions alive no matter what. It is all right for Koreans if people from different cultural backgrounds celebrate the New Year differently and sometimes even on different dates. What is important is for people across cultures to respect each others’ traditions and preserve the cultures of the world.

Learn About the Falklands War

Fought in 1982, the Falklands War was the result of the Argentine invasion of the British-owned Falkland Islands. Located in the South Atlantic, Argentina had long claimed these islands as part of its territory. On April 2, 1982, Argentine forces landed in the Falklands, capturing the islands two days later. In response, the British dispatched a naval and amphibious task force to the area. The initial phases of the conflict occurred mainly at sea between elements of the Royal Navy and the Argentine Air Force. On May 21, British troops landed and by June 14 had compelled the Argentine occupiers to surrender. Dates The Falklands War began on April 2, 1982, when Argentine troops landed in the Falkland Islands. The fighting ended on June 14, following the British liberation of the islands capital, Port Stanley, and the surrender of Argentine forces in the Falklands. The British declared a formal end to military activity on June 20. Prelude and Invasion In early 1982, President Leopoldo Galtieri, the head of Argentinas ruling military junta, authorized the invasion of the British Falkland Islands. The operation was designed to draw attention away from human rights and economic issues at home by bolstering national pride and giving teeth to the nations long-held claim on the islands. After an incident between British and Argentine forces on nearby South Georgia Island, Argentine forces landed in the Falklands on April 2. The small garrison of Royal Marines resisted, however by April 4 the Argentines had captured the capital at Port Stanley. Argentine troops also landed on South Georgia and quickly secured the island. British Response After organizing diplomatic pressure against Argentina, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher ordered the assembly of a naval task force to retake the islands. After the House of Commons voted to approve Thatchers actions on April 3, she formed a War Cabinet which first met three days later. Commanded by Admiral Sir John Fieldhouse, the task force consisted of several groups, the largest of which was centered on the aircraft carriers HMS Hermes and HMS Invincible. Led by Rear Admiral Sandy Woodward, this group contained the Sea Harrier fighters that would provide air cover for the fleet. In mid-April, Fieldhouse began moving south, with a large fleet of tankers and cargo ships to supply the fleet while it operated more than 8,000 miles from home. All told, 127 ships served in the task force including 43 warships, 22 Royal Fleet Auxiliaries, and 62 merchant vessels. First Shots As the fleet sailed south to its staging area at Ascension Island, it was shadowed by Boeing 707s from the Argentine Air Force. On April 25, British forces sank the submarine ARA Santa Fe near South Georgia shortly before troops led by Major Guy Sheridan of the Royal Marines liberated the island. Five days later, operations against the Falklands began with the Black Buck raids by RAF Vulcan bombers flying from Ascension. These saw the bombers strike the runway at Port Stanley and radar facilities in the area. That same day Harriers attacked various targets, as well as shot down three Argentine aircraft. As the runway at Port Stanley was too short for modern fighters, the Argentine Air Force was forced to fly from the mainland, which placed them at a disadvantage throughout the conflict (Map). Fighting at Sea While cruising west of the Falklands on May 2, the submarine HMS Conqueror spotted the light cruiser ARA General Belgrano. Conqueror fired three torpedoes, hitting the World War II-vintage Belgrano twice and sinking it. This attack led to the Argentine fleet, including the carrier  ARA Veinticinco de Mayo, remaining in port for the rest of the war. Two days later, they had their revenge when an Exocet anti-ship missile, launched from an Argentine Super Étendard fighter, struck HMS Sheffield setting it ablaze. Having been ordered forward to serve as a radar picket, the destroyer was hit amidships and the resulting explosion severed its high-pressure fire main. After attempts to stop the fire failed, the ship was abandoned. The sinking of Belgrano cost 323 Argentines killed, while the attack on Sheffield resulted in 20 British dead. Landing at San Carlos Water On the night of May 21, the British Amphibious Task Group under the command of Commodore Michael Clapp moved into Falkland Sound and began landing British forces at San Carlos Water on the northwest coast of East Falkland. The landings had been preceded by a Special Air Service (SAS) raid on nearby Pebble Islands airfield. When the landings had finished, approximately 4,000 men, commanded by Brigadier Julian Thompson, had been put ashore. Over the next week, the ships supporting the landings were hit hard by low-flying Argentine aircraft. The sound was soon dubbed Bomb Alley as HMS Ardent (May 22), HMS Antelope (May 24), and HMS Coventry (May 25) all sustained hits and were sunk, as was MV Atlantic Conveyor (May 25) with a cargo of helicopters and supplies. Goose Green, Mount Kent, and Bluff Cove/Fitzroy Thompson began pushing his men south, planning to secure the western side of the island before moving east to Port Stanley. On May 27/28, 600 men under Lieutenant Colonel Herbert Jones outfought over 1,000 Argentines around Darwin and Goose Green, ultimately forcing them to surrender. Leading a critical charge, Jones was killed later received the Victoria Cross posthumously. A few days later, British commandos defeated Argentine commandos on Mount Kent. In early June, an additional 5,000 British troops arrived and command shifted to Major General Jeremy Moore. While some of these troops were disembarking at Bluff Cove and Fitzroy, their transports, RFA Sir Tristram and RFA Sir Galahad, were attacked killing 56 (Map). Fall of Port Stanley After consolidating his position, Moore began the assault on Port Stanley. British troops launched simultaneous assaults on the high ground surrounding the town on the night of June 11. After heavy fighting, they succeeded in capturing their objectives. The attacks continued two nights later, and British units took the towns last natural lines of defense at Wireless Ridge and Mount Tumbledown. Encircled on land and blockaded at sea, the Argentine commander, General Mario Menà ©ndez, realized his situation was hopeless and surrendered his 9,800 men on June 14, effectively ending the conflict. Aftermath and Casualties In Argentina, the defeat led to the removal of Galtieri three days after the fall of Port Stanley. His downfall spelled the end for the military junta that had been ruling the country and paved the way for the restoration of democracy. For Britain, the victory provided a much-needed boost to its national confidence, reaffirmed its international position, and assured victory for the Thatcher Government in the 1983 elections. The settlement that ended the conflict called for a return to status quo ante bellum. Despite its defeat, Argentina still claims the Falklands and South Georgia. During the war, Britain suffered 258 killed and 777 wounded. In addition, two destroyers, two frigates, and two auxiliary vessels were sunk. For Argentina, the Falklands War cost 649 killed, 1,068 wounded, and 11,313 captured. In addition, the Argentine Navy lost a submarine, a light cruiser, and seventy-five fixed-wing aircraft.