Are Juvenile Crime and Violence Increasing?

186 Pages·2004·0.93 MB·English

Juvenile Crime INTERIOR 2/27/04 3:41 PM Page 1
Juvenile Crime INTERIOR 2/27/04 3:41 PM Page 2
Juvenile Crime INTERIOR 2/27/04 3:41 PM Page 3
Juvenile Crime INTERIOR 2/27/04 3:41 PM Page 4
Other Books of Related Interest
OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS SERIES
Crime and Criminals
Criminal Justice
Education
The Family
Gangs
Gun Control
Gun Violence
Mass Media
Media Violence
Poverty
Teens at Risk
Violence
CURRENT CONTROVERSIES SERIES
Child Abuse
Crime
Family Violence
Guns and Violence
Violence in the Media
Youth Violence
AT ISSUE SERIES
Guns and Crime
Is Media Violence a Problem?
School Shootings
Violent Children
What Is a Hate Crime?
Juvenile Crime INTERIOR 2/27/04 3:41 PM Page 5
Auriana Ojeda, Book Editor
Daniel Leone, Publisher
Bonnie Szumski, Editorial Director
Scott Barbour, Managing Editor
GreenhavenPress,Inc., San Diego, California
Juvenile Crime INTERIOR 2/27/04 3:41 PM Page 6
Cover photo: Photodisc
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Juvenile crime : opposing viewpoints / Auriana Ojeda, book editor.
p. cm. — (Opposing viewpoints series)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-7377-0783-6 (pbk. : alk. paper) —
ISBN 0-7377-0784-4 (lib. : alk. paper)
1. Juvenile delinquency. I. Ojeda, Auriana, 1977–
II.Opposing viewpoints series (Unnumbered)
HV9069 .J78 2002
364.36—dc21 2001023310
CIP
Copyright © 2002 by Greenhaven Press, Inc.
Printed in the U.S.A.
No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any
form or by any means, electrical, mechanical, or otherwise,
including, but not limited to, photocopy, recording, or
any information storage and retrieval system, without
prior written permission from the publisher.
Every effort has been made to trace the owners of copyrighted material.
Greenhaven Press, Inc., P.O. Box 289009
San Diego, CA 92198-9009
Juvenile Crime INTERIOR 2/27/04 3:41 PM Page 7
“Congress shall make
no law. . .abridging the
freedom of speech, or of
the press.”
First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
The basic foundation of our democracy is the First
Amendment guarantee of freedom of expression.
The Opposing Viewpoints Series is dedicated to the
concept of this basic freedom and the idea that it is
more important to practice it than to enshrine it.
Juvenile Crime INTERIOR 2/27/04 3:41 PM Page 8
Contents
Why Consider Opposing Viewpoints? 11
Introduction 14
Chapter 1: Are Juvenile Crime and Violence
Increasing?
Chapter Preface 19
1. Juvenile Crime and Violence Are Increasing 20
Steve Macko
2. Juvenile Crime and Violence Are Not Increasing 26
James Glassman
3. Juvenile Crime Is a Serious Problem in Schools 30
National Center for Victims of Crime
4. Juvenile Crime Is Not a Serious Problem in
Schools 35
Patrick Welsh
5. Juveniles Are Becoming Ruthless 39
Scott Minerbrook
6. Juveniles Are Unfairly Blamed for Increasing
Crime and Violence 45
Ira Glasser
Periodical Bibliography 50
Chapter 2: What Are the Causes of Juvenile
Crime and Violence?
Chapter Preface 53
1. Why the Young Kill 54
Sharon Begley
2. Environmental Factors Contribute to Juvenile
Crime and Violence 61
Tom O’Connor
3. Violence in the Media Contributes to Juvenile
Crime 69
Dave Grossman
Juvenile Crime INTERIOR 2/27/04 3:41 PM Page 9
4. Violence in the Media Does Not Contribute to
Juvenile Crime 76
Richard Rhodes
5. Guns Contribute to Juvenile Crime 80
Bob Levin
6. Guns Do Not Contribute to Juvenile Crime 85
Timothy Wheeler
7. The Root Cause of Juvenile Crime and Violence
Is Poverty 89
Mike Males
8. The Root Cause of Juvenile Crime and Violence
Is Fatherlessness 94
Dave Kopel
Periodical Bibliography 98
Chapter 3: What Factors Contribute to Gang-
Related Juvenile Crime?
Chapter Preface 100
1. The Media Contribute to Gang-Related
Juvenile Crime 101
Suren Pillay
2. Gangsta Rap Music Contributes to Gang-Related
Juvenile Crime 105
Paul Palango
3. A Need for Family Contributes to Gang-Related
Juvenile Crime 110
Anonymous
4. Poor Parenting Contributes to Gang-Related
Juvenile Crime 115
Lewis Yablonsky
5. American Capitalism Contributes to Gang-Related
Juvenile Crime 122
Christian Smith
Periodical Bibliography 126
Chapter 4: How Can Juvenile Crime and Violence
Be Combated?
Chapter Preface 129
Juvenile Crime INTERIOR 2/27/04 3:41 PM Page 10
1. More Juveniles Should Be Tried as Adults 130
Hanna Chiou
2. Juveniles Should Not Be Tried as Adults 134
Wendy Kaminer
3. Parents Should Be Held Legally Responsible for
Juvenile Crime 139
Kate O’Beirne
4. Holding Parents Legally Responsible for Juvenile
Crime May Be Counterproductive 143
Garry Cooper
5. Curfew Laws Are Effective at Combating
Juvenile Crime 148
David Knight
6. Curfew Laws Are Ineffective at Combating
Juvenile Crime 152
Colin Miller
7. Harsher Punishment Is the Answer to
Juvenile Crime 156
Peter Reinhartz
8. More After-School Programs Are the Answer
to Juvenile Crime 162
Judy Mann
Periodical Bibliography 167
For Further Discussion 169
Organizations to Contact 172
Bibliography of Books 178
Index 181