Developing Solutions to the Juvenile Delinquency Problem

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Problem statement

Juvenile delinquency is still a significant problem in society. Juvenile delinquents pose a threat to public safety, damaging their lives and dignity as well as the material and mental well-being of others. As a rule, adolescents are not fully aware of the risks and responsibility for the actions they commit, so their offenses are based not so much on the conscious desire to cause harm as on the emotional excitement and inability to control these emotions. Statistics provide some surprising data on this issue. First, the data reports that, more often than not, all crimes are committed in the middle of the school day or on a weekend evening (OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book, 2018). Second, arrests have decreased every year since 1996, indicating either the effectiveness of prevention services or an improvement in juvenile criminal skills (OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book, 2020). However, juvenile crime rates are still high despite downward trends.

Primary solution

One option for the previously suggested solution is to use arts-based approaches. We will call art any activities related to the embodiment of the creative activity of individuals, be it singing, drawing, sculpture, handicrafts, and any other forms of creative realization of individuals. So, an arts-based approach, including art therapy, is aimed at replacing destructive intentions and emotions in the adolescent, working through trauma, and working on one’s own feelings in order to minimize the likelihood of committing crimes (Perkins et al., 2021). From this perspective, one can imagine art-based approaches as prevention, suggesting that adolescents release negative emotions through creativity in a way that ultimately reduces the need for destructive behaviors. Children from troubled families and orphans are known to be more prone to delinquent behavior (Butterfield, 2018). Consequently, arts-based prevention measures directed toward such children should help reduce the level of public danger in the region.

Summary

It is clear that the proposed approach looks pretty voluminous and requires careful elaboration of the functional aspects. Moreover, one cannot simply decide to use the arts as a juvenile delinquency problem if one ignores the organizational and financial details of this project. For this reason, in the following slides, I will present three different solutions that have been developed in an attempt to address juvenile delinquency using art (Colorni & Tsoukiàs, 2018). These include (i) the creation of a creative activity center, (ii) the mandatory introduction of art classes in schools, and (iii) the implementation of urban sports programs.

Creative activity center

For a region in which we seek to reduce juvenile delinquency, the creation of a creative activity center may be a tactical necessity. Such a solution refers to the creation of a large area physical office where teens come after school or on weekends to participate in individual and group art programs. The division into programs should be voluntary so that each teenager can participate only in those forms of creative activity that catch their attention. However, it should be possible for all individuals to freely attend any form of art that they might find interesting: theater, drawing, music, sports, dancing. In such an institution, there is a system of teachers who lead a class at an allotted time so that teenagers know precisely when to come and what to expect.

Strengths and weaknesses

The strengths of such a solution are hard to overestimate. The creation of a single urban center will not only provide an opportunity for the creative realization of adolescents but also form in their minds an image of an instrument or a solution that will always be glad to help them. So, in any of the problematic situations, teenagers can always turn to art, make acquaintances or spend time alone doing creative work. In addition, for teenagers, such time will be completely free, which increases the threshold of involvement and expands the target audience. On the other hand, creating a one-stop art center will not solve the problem of juvenile delinquency completely, as there is no way to regulate the participation of all teens. A voluntary basis implies personal will, which means that it is impossible to attract those problem teens who do not want to participate in such activities on their own. In addition, it takes time to build such a center (about six months), which does not solve the problem of juvenile delinquency right now. Finally, in the absence of proper marketing, it is not impossible to metamorphose the perception of such a center into a social correction center, which would create a stigma around it.

Outcomes

In terms of positive consequences, an urban arts center will attract more adolescents to creative fulfillment. In the long run, it will reduce juvenile delinquency, as it has been proven that participation in creativity affects it (U.S. Department of Justice, 2020). In addition, it will improve public safety and cultural vibrancy, as the large amount of artwork created by teens can be used for city installations and exhibitions. It is also expected that the urban center will catalyze the development of creative teenagers, which in the long run will improve the tourist image of the city of artists, musicians, and entertainers. In terms of negative consequences, the only problem may be turning the center into a gathering place for teenagers uninterested in creativity. Adolescents are known to like to visit malls aimlessly to spend time together (McDuling, 2020). Against the backdrop of their closure, opening an urban creative playground may become an alternative; as a result, it will cease to fulfill its initial function.

Financial considerations

Since this solution is large-scale, much time, financial and human resources will be required. Renting a commercial space to convert it into a creative center, hiring teachers and administrative staff, marketing costs, and the cost of purchasing equipment will all take a heavy toll on the budget. That said, who strictly is sponsoring the decision is unclear. If we are talking about private founders, these are vast amounts of money for a nonprofit business (Krlev et al., 2018). The solution may be to seek cooperation with authorities and law enforcement, as they have a direct interest in solving the problem of juvenile delinquency. This requires a careful business plan and formulation of a funding project on an ongoing basis to maintain the functionality of the center.

Mandatory art classes at school

A second alternative could be the introduction of art and art classes in schools and colleges for teens on a mandatory basis. In this case, pupils are not specified to attend specific sections, as getting credit for creative lessons will be a compulsory part of the final certification. In this solution, separate creative arts classes would be added to the children’s curriculum, with the student able to choose what he or she wants to attend. Within the school, it could be music, drawing, or dance classes, as well as sports. Unlike physical education and art classes, attendance in the classes being developed will be mandatory but will not put pressure on students.

Advantages and disadvantages

It is impossible not to notice the apparent advantages of this solution. First, the mandatory format of attendance significantly increases adolescent participation and attracts even those adolescents who would not want to engage in the arts voluntarily. Second, the amount of time devoted to school activities is increased, and thus the amount of free time in which teens can commit crimes is reduced. Finally, this approach is also related to students’ creative realization. Among the weaknesses is the possible emergence of a sense of compulsion and the resulting lack of motivation for adolescents to work. In addition, since the only deterrent is academic certification, it is not difficult to imagine that ultimately destructive adolescents who do not even go to school will not attend creative lessons either.

Ramifications of the decision

The negative consequences of such a decision include the possible deterioration of students’ personal experiences with school, which could result in a reduction in the validity of the entire decision (Langbein, 2016). Education is already a significant stressor for adolescents, and the introduction of another mandatory class will affect the development of hatred for school. In addition, competition among familiar students increases in creative fulfillment — children generally do not know how to control their words and actions, so much competition can take the form of bullying, abusive behavior, and even joking. Among the positive consequences, however, are the involvement of the large group in creativity, the possibility of developing hidden talents, and a healthy alternative to idleness among teenagers. In addition, the use of a school psychologist will allow potentially vulnerable families to be identified and prevention work to be carried out in advance.

Expenses

This solution is significantly less costly because it is implemented strictly within the confines of the school. Using vacant rooms eliminates the need to rent space, and only hiring additional staff, art masters and teachers, and purchasing equipment would require a budget. Additionally, but not necessarily, it would be helpful to hire a psychologist who could address emotional trauma and experiences with teens in both individual and group formats. The school principal or city budget is responsible for funding these projects.

City sports events

Strange as it may seem, sports are a pure form of human art because they involve the realization of one’s skills and constant training. In addition, sports are known to be excellent tools for releasing accumulated anger, so the use of sporting events will focus on preventive work with emotions. This solution uses these beliefs to create a program of urban sports activities among teens. Soccer, basketball, tennis, swimming, wrestling, volleyball, and many other sports are just some of the activities that will be implemented within the solution. In fact, we are talking about creating our own training base, on the platform of which the city trains and competes teenagers in various sports.

Benefits and challenges

The advantages of this solution seem apparent: In addition to solving the public health problem by athleticizing teenagers, this program engages children in sports and increases the city’s athletic representation at the national level. Most importantly, of course, the program solves the problem of emotional undercurrents and injuries. Weaknesses include the inability to attract physically challenged teens, the voluntary basis of attendance, and the possible harm to health in the event of sports injuries.

Consequences

The consequences are also realized on two levels. On the one hand, the athletic development of the city is increased, so more experienced athletes can participate in national and international competitions. Tremendous enthusiasm for sports increases the attractiveness of local teenagers and gives them better mental health (Gorczynski et al., 2021). Meanwhile, because of the cult of sports in the city, stigma is likely to develop against overweight people who cannot or do not want to participate in sports.

Financial Outlay

This also requires a high expenditure of resources, since not only the establishment of a training facility but also the implementation of all organizational details, from the formation of training plans to the scheduling of matches and the hiring of independent referees. The purchase of sports equipment will also require significant expenditures. Funding for this solution is carried out in cooperation with the authorities of the city, as the participation of teenagers is again free of charge.

Conclusion

In order to choose the best solution for all criteria, it was decided to use inspection by numbers. In each of the rows of the table is a number showing the strength associated with these items on a five-point scale, from -2 to +2, where +2 is the most substantial impact. According to the classification, the creation of a creative center is the leading solution that will embrace the maximum number of aspects and will actually lead to a reduction in juvenile delinquency. It is recommended, then, that you begin conceptualizing this project, budgeting, and timing as soon as possible since the preparation and construction phases will take a long time.

References

Butterfield, F. (2018). When crime is a family affair. The Atlantic.

Colorni, A., & Tsoukiàs, A. (2018). What is a decision problem? Designing alternatives. Springer.

Gorczynski, P., Currie, A., Gibson, K., Gouttebarge, V., Hainline, B., Castaldelli-Maia, J. M., … & Swartz, L. (2021). Developing mental health literacy and cultural competence in elite sport.Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 33(4), 387-401. Web.

Krlev, G., Anheier, H. K., & Mildenberger, G. (2018). Introduction: Social innovation—what is it and who makes it? Social Innovation, 03-35.

Langbein, L. (2016). Defensible program evaluations: four types of validity. Routledge.

McDuling, J. (2020). American teens don’t hang out at malls anymore. They eat at restaurants. Quartz. Web.

OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. (2018) Time of day. OJJDP. Web.

OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. (2020). Juvenile arrest rate trends. OJJDP. Web.

Perkins, R., Mason-Bertrand, A., Tymoszuk, U., Spiro, N., Gee, K., & Williamon, A. (2021). Arts engagement supports social connectedness in adulthood: Findings from the HEartS Survey.BMC Public Health, 21(1), 1-15. Web.

U.S. Department of Justice. (2020). Arts and performances for prevention [PDF document]. Web.

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