Crime Causation and Diversion Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Crime Causation and Diversion Paper - Essay Example There are several intervention, diversion and prevention programs that have been created to help the youths avoid getting into criminal careers when they become adult in that way reducing crime rates in the society (Greenwood 2006). These programs are also aimed at ensuring that the youths people’s lives are salvaged and that they are able to live productive lives later. This paper will discuss the youth advocacy program and Jeopardy programs. Jeopardy Program Jeopardy program is a program aimed at intervening and preventing gang violence in the city of Los Angeles. This program focuses on youths aged 7-16 years of both genders and their parents. The program works through school, community and the police department in ensuring that young people achieve permanent changes in behavior as a way of ensuring that they eventually positively contribute to the development of the community. The program targets children who are at risk of being recruited to gangs. This is especially in n eighborhoods in the city that are known to be dominated by dangerous gangs (Jorge 2013). The programs give these young a variety of training both physical such as martial arts and formal training thus channeling their energies in productive adventures. The Jeopardy program has several goals. It aims at reducing the level of truancy and school drop out in the community. By keeping the children in school, they are kept away from company that may recruit them to a gang and a life of crime. It also aims at improving the youth’s grade in school and promotes graduation rates. When the learners’ grades are good, they have hope of even going to college and getting into a good career. Their energy is thus focused on achieving this. It also aims at addressing psychological disorders in the youth that may lower self esteem (Jorge 2013). This is because research has reported that people are bound to get into criminal activities to boost their esteem. It also aims to impart the you th with life skills such as problem resolution skills, decision making and goal setting skills. All these are seen to lead to the achievement of the ultimate goal which is to reduce gang involvement. All these aims are achieved through several activities carried out by the Jeopardy program team. This first thing that they do is to identify the children in the community who may be at the risk of being involved in gangs. They then conduct interviews with the children and their parents in order to identify which is the most effective method of dealing with the problem. The families are then referred to the local counseling agencies. This is followed by monthly seminars held with the family every month. During these seminars the progress of the child is assessed. The child is also told to choose from a wide range of activities to engage in and is monitored for at least a year until positive behavioral change has been reported. Youth Advocacy Program (YAP) The youth advocacy is an early intervention program that was aimed at youth at risk of getting into a life of crime and their parents. They would refer the parent to treatment and counseling agencies. The main aim of this program was they reduce the development of hardcore youth delinquency and reduce the crime rates in the society. During the juvenile investigation procedure, in cases where the offender is a minor, the case would be