The Police In the Community

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The Police In the Community

• Chapter 9
• Building Bridges with Youths and Gang Members

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Objectives

• Students will know what 3 kinds of youths are
  combined into one jurisdictional pot
• How a welfare model and a justice model differ
  and which is most often currently used
• What the Big Ds of Juvenile Justice are
• What youths with special needs require from
  police officers

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Objectives Cont

• What factors contribute to teen violence
• What needs are served by gangs
• How gang activity can be identified
• Effective crime fighting tools against gangs
• Why a community may be ambivalent towards gangs

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Introduction

• The most important minority group in our society
  today is our young
• The young represent all segments of our society
• The future of our nation depends on the values
  they are forming and the fact they will be the
  future decision makers of our society

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Intro Cont

• Juvenile justice covers 3 basic areas
• Youths who are victims of neglect and abuse
• Youths who commit minor status offenses
• Youth who commit serious crimes
• Police must protect both victims and offenders
  and deal fairly with them
• What is best for the youth must be balanced with
  what is best for society

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Understanding Youths

• There are 70 million youths under the age of 17
  in the U.S. as of 1998
• That equals to 1 in very 4 Americans being under
  the age of 17
• One third of that number is under age 5 or
  younger
• These youths have no political power or economic
  resources so their problems may not receive
  adequate attention

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Understanding Youths cont

• Do not be discouraged about the future of our
  youths
• 95 have never been in trouble with the law
• The overwhelming majority of good kids should not
  be forgotten

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Juvenile Ages Defined by State

• All 50 states set their own age in defining
  youths from 16 to 19
• 3 States define it at 16
• 35 States define it at 17 including Georgia
• 11 States set it at 18
• 1 State, Wyoming sets it at 19

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The Critical Preschool Years

• Police unfortunately have frequent contact with
  only those youth who break the law
• Consequently police tend to stereotype youth,
  especially teenagers

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Critical Years Cont..

• Americas children are an endangered species
• Millions are being raised by single moms who
  never received medical care during pregnancy
• Thousands are abused and neglected

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Adolescence

• Adolescence is typically a troublesome time for
  youths, their family, and the community
• As children grown into adults there is internal
  and external conflict
• These young adults cannot see their own mortality
  and take risks including dangerous drugs and
  driving at high speeds
• They are experimenting and making bad choices

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Adolescence Cont

• Common problems associated with young adults and
  the police are
• Lack of trust
• Negative contacts most of the time
• High levels of anger and emotion
• Racial and cultural differences

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Police Discretion

• 80 to 90 of the youth commit offenses for which
  they could be arrested
• Only 3 of them are ever caught and arrested
• Police have a wide range of discretionary power
  when they do catch juveniles
• Release to parents
• Release to juvenile authorities
• Counseling referrals
• Prosecute within the JJ court system

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Police Dispositions

• Police juvenile dispositions are made with the
  childs health, safety, and welfare in mind
• The deal with a wide range of youths who need
  protection from abuse and neglect to those who
  have committed status offenses to those who have
  committed serious violent crimes
• Police have very limited alternatives and limited
  discretion with youths who have committed violent
  crimes

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Police Dispositions Cont..

• Factors to determine if police will arrest
• Character
• Age
• Gender
• Race
• Prior Record
• Family Situation
• Attitude

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Structure of the JJ System

• The JJ system is distinct from the adult system
• It has retained 3 basic components from the adult
  system
• Police Courts Corrections
• The intention is to let kids fall through the
  cracks and possibly get a 2nd chance
• Funnel effects- At each point in the system
  fewer youths pass through
• Police only arrest 100 out of every 1000 or 10
  of the youth they come into contact with

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Structure of the JJ System Cont

• System works well for most juveniles
• Its weakness is handling the serious juvenile
  offender
• Very few provisions

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Philosophy of the Juvenile Court

• Philosophy of the first courts were to view
  children as basically good and in need of help
• This approach is basically the Welfare Model
• In 1966 the Kent vs United States case
  established that if you are going to transfer a
  case to adult court, then the proper protocol of
  due process and fair treatment must be followed

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Other Landmark Cases

• 1967 In re Gault- established that Juveniles have
  the same rights as adults Notice of charges,
  right to counsel, right to cross examine,
  confront witnesses
• 1970 In re Winship- established that a youth must
  be proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt
• 1971 McKeiver v Penn- established that juveniles
  do not have a right to a jury trial in the
  juvenile court system

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The Big Ds of the JJ System

• Deinstitutionalization- Efforts to release youths
  from confinement through parole and community
  programs
• Diversion- Means finding alternatives to placing
  youths in detention facilities
• Due Process- Continue to look at Juvenile Rights
• Decriminalization- Means efforts to make status
  offenses non-criminal

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Justice Model

• In the 1980s we changed from the welfare model to
  the justice model
• The justice model views youths as responsible for
  their actions
• Here to good of society takes place over
  societys responsibility to care care of its
  children
• This model contends that youth dont have a
  problem, they are the problem

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Youths with Special Needs

• This includes police having to deal with children
  who are emotionally/behaviorally disturbed, who
  have learning disabilities, who have ADD, and
  behavior problems, resulting from parental
  exposure to drugs, alcohol, to HIV
• Police react to this type problem in a defensive
  manner because of the childs aggression and
  impulsive behavior

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Special Needs Cont..

• Youths with ADD is one of the most common
  disruptive behavior disorders
• An estimated 5 to 10 have it
• It occurs 4 times more often in boys than girls
• It is characterized by heightened motor activity
  (fidgeting and squirming)
• ADD kids may do poorly in school and have low
  self-esteem
• It often disappears by adulthood

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Special Needs Cont..

• Youths exposed to drugs and HIV is sometimes
  referred to as crack children
• Crack Children are exposed to cocaine while still
  in the womb
• Drug-damaged children have poor co-ordination,
  low tolerance levels, and poor memory

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Special Needs Cont..

• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome- This is the leading
  cause of mental retardation
• HIV Children-A very serious problem for law
  enforcement
• These children are parentally exposed to HIV and
  may have mental retardation, language delays,
  motor skill deficits, reduced flexibility and
  muscle strength

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Status Offenders and the Law

• Status offenses are actions committed by a
  juvenile that would not be considered criminal if
  committed by an adult
• Between 80 and 90 of juvenile commit some
  offense for which they could be arrested but only
  about 3 are actually processed
• This is because of police discretion
• Police response to status offenses is based on
  attitude, prior record, race, socieoeconomic
  status, and gender

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Youths who commit Serious Crimes

• In these situation the officers do not have much
  discretion
• The laws are clearly defined and the juvenile is
  processed according to the laws of each state
• They may be processed as a juvenile, tried as an
  adult, or the case may be dismissed by the
  prosecutor
• The serious juvenile offender population is very
  small

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Understanding Gangs and Gang Members

• The are approximately 850,000 gang member
  operating in 31,000 gangs nationwide
• Gangs now exist in very community and have
  spread like a plaque
• It is termed as a societal cancer
• The drug dealers and gang leaders are working
  against the parents for loyalty of the children
• Gangs use harassment, intimidation, extortion,
  and fear to control territory

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Gangs Cont..

• Gangs can be defined as formal and informal who
  members collectively engage in the commission of
  criminal acts
• Street gangs are gangs who engage in acts that
  are injurious to the public
• They are organized
• They create an atmosphere of intimidation and
  fear
• They designate the location of the gang
• They designate the type of criminal behavior

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History of Gangs

• Youth Gangs- Are defined as a subgroup of a
  street gang and are comprised more of juveniles
  and no adults
• Gangs began to develop in European Settlements in
  the U.S when members of the poorer classes from
  the same race and ethnic background banded
  together for protection

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History of Gangs Cont..

• In the 1820s the Irish immigrants formed the 1st
  criminal gangs in New York City The Forty
  Thieves
• These gangs engaged in murder, robbery and street
  muggings
• In the 1900s the economy worsened, the population
  grew, and the gap between rich and poor widened
• Gangs have continued to develop with no real
  signs of slowing despite law enforcement efforts

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Why Youths Join Gangs

• Protection
• Security
• Status
• Identity
• Sense of Belonging

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Types of Gangs

• Social Gangs- Moderate drug use and offending,
  mainly like to party and drink and have little
  involvement in offending
• Party Gangs- Called Party Crews They use lots
  of drugs and are involved in selling drugs and
  vandalism. They have both genders as members
• Instrumental Gangs- Main Activity is property
  crimes using alcohol but seldom sell drugs

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Types of Gangs Cont..

• Predatory Gangs- Heavily involved in serious
  crimes (robberies and muggings) and in the abuse
  of addictive drugs such as crack cocaine
• Scavenger Gangs- Loosely organized and are
  described as urban survivors They engage in
  petty crimes and some violence and have no goals
  and are low achievers

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Type Gangs Cont..

• Serious Delinquent Gangs- Heavy involvement with
  both serious and minor crimes but dont use much
  drugs or alcohol
• Territorial Gangs- Associated with a specific
  turf and tend to get into conflicts with other
  gangs
• Corporate Gangs- Involved with all kinds of
  crime, heavy use and sale of drugs, may resemble
  corporations, discipline is strict
• Drug Gangs- Small gangs who are focused on the
  business

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Gang Membershipand Type Members

• Regulars or Hard Core Members
• A small group of approx 10 to 15 of the
  membership
• The most active and influential members of the
  gang
• Have very little interest outside the gang
• Hard cores hold leadership positions and pose a
  threat to the community and the police because
  they carry guns, tend to be aggressive and
  antisocial
• Peripheral Members or Associates
• A larger group surrounding the hard core members
• Have a strong attachment to the gang but
  participate less
• Have outside interests but a regulated by gang
  rules

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Gang Membershipand Type Members Cont..

• Temporary Members
• Only marginally committed to the gang
• Tend to join the gang at a later age than the
  regulars
• Only stay for a short while
• Situational Members
• Join the gang for certain activities but usually
  avoid violent crimes
• At Risk Members
• Not really members but pre-gang youths who show
  interest by experimenting with gang language and
  attire

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Gang Membershipand Type Members Cont..

• Wannabes
• This term is used by gangs who describe
  recruits usually in their preteen years who
  admire gang members
• They are a notch above the At Risk members and
  are mentally ready to join the gang
• May be called Pee Wees
• Veteranos/OGs
• Usually men in their 20s and 30s who hold the
  role to teach and discipline
• Auxiliary Members
• Limited responsibility, usually female members

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Indicators of Gang Activity

• Indicators of gang activity include graffiti,
  drive by shootings, and intimidation assaults
• Graffiti appears on neighborhood buildings and
  walls to mark turf
• Because of the violence neighborhood residence
  become fearful
• Some gangs sell drugs openly and children as
  young as 11 are identified by the pagers they
  carry as drug runners
• Intelligence reports state that 80 of the 1,250
  significant gangs identified during 1998 sell
  drugs

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Community Ambivalence Towards Gangs

• Many of the gang members are children of nearby
  residents
• Gangs often provide protection for the residents
• Residents identify with gangs because of their
  own relatives prior involvement
• The gangs in some instances have become community
  institutions

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The End