Arguement for the Use of Uniforms in Schools - 839 Words

Judging people by the way they look like is a huge factor in the downfall of today’s hypocritical society. Judging interferes with the perception of a person and causes misconception of the person capability. Take school for instance you have your different cliques in different groups of people that separate themselves from one another based on what they look like, the hobbies they enjoy and even their economic status. School-age children in particular judge their peers by the way they dress. The way children judge one another is based on different types and brands of clothes they wear each and every day. A popular girl knows what off brand jeans or a retail stores clothing looks like and they will judge the people that wear them, and this allows for the judgment to begin. I believe that school uniforms should be set in place for all local schools in Scioto County. This will allow children to feel equal and the same and not feel as if theyre being judged every single day. This will promote education equality for each and every student and a lot more students will be able to feel welcome in their school. Lastly, this will not discriminate children against one another due to the clothes that they wear that they can afford. Therefore I strongly believe that school uniforms should be required because it allow kids to not judge one another based on social economic statuses, it will permit education throughout the schools and it will allow equality for all students andShow MoreRelatedEssay about Arguement Against the Use of School Uniforms710 Words   |  3 Pages School Uniforms Many kids at their school do not like their uniforms or rules on school clothes.50% of students and parents on Debate.org say no to school uniforms.â€Å" Uniforms ugh, this is by a TEN YEAR OLD. Uniforms,you can be a bully target with uniforms.† This was by a real person on debate.org stating their opinion on uniforms. I personally agree because i have seen kid s at the school I go to be bullied because they have a stain on their shirt, but they have to wear it because it’ schoolRead MoreConvergence of Ifrs and Us Gaap15636 Words   |  63 Pagesand left with responsibility for creating accounting standards. These accounting standards; known as International Financial Reporting Standards, were developed with the intention of starting the process of creating a set of accounting standards for use across the globe. It was envisaged that every country would apply these standards and hence would speak the same â€Å"business language†. By 2005 the European Union required all countries within the EU to adopt IFRS as their reporting standard, and by 2012

The Advancement Of Materialism Before There Was Materialism

Shannon Grigsby English 336.500 Marco Portales September 30, 2016 The Advancement of Materialism before There Was Materialism: The Exploration of Gold On September 27, 2016 Andrew Fox proposed to his girlfriend Heather Terwilliger at Yankee Stadium during a Tuesday night MLB showcase between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. Unfortunately, as Andrew pulled out the ring to propose to his soon to be fiancà © the engagement ring fell into the stands amongst a max capacity crowd. As Andrew continued to search for the ring amongst the crowd, there was a massive cheer made by the audience that acknowledge that the ring had been found. After the ring was found Andrew took one knee and successfully proposed to his girlfriend Heather. How would you perceive a marriage proposal that did not include a ring? Do you believe that Andrew would have still proposed if he wouldn’t have found the engagement ring? Do you think that Heather would have accepted the engagement if there was not a ring included? In this particular essay, I will use Cabeza de Vaca s Adventures in the Unknown Interior of America as a representation of how the exploration of gold has played a role in revolutionizing materialism in societies by attributing great values to inexpensive objects. Before I correlate the works of Alvar Nunez to materialism in America, I would first like to give a background on both the literary piece of Nunez and the ideas of materialism. First, Alvar Nunez’s Cabeza de Vaca sShow MoreRelatedThe Allure Of Luxury By Chuck Palahniuk1147 Words   |  5 PagesDurden from Fight Club was sitting inside $340,000 Lamborghini Aventador, his hatred towards materialism probably would have driven him to accelerate the car right into the ocean. If James Twitchell was sitting inside of it, he probably would have just left the car in a parking structure with the keys still inside. Chuck Palahniuk’s novel Fight Club and James Twitchell’s essay â€Å"The Allure of Luxury†both take negative against the concept and phenomenon of Western materialism, where society indulgeRead MoreFour Theoretical Approaches to Metaphysics—Dualism, Materialism, Idealism, and Alternative Views1096 Words   |  5 PagesResource: Writing Wizard a t the Center for Writing Excellence; Chapter Six of Philosophy: The Power of Ideas Four theoretical approaches to metaphysics—Dualism, Materialism, Idealism, and Alternative Views (i.e., double aspect theory)—are competing for the right to claim that they are the correct metaphysical view. Select one of these theories and construct the strongest possible argument on its behalf in an essay of 700-1400 words. In your paper, acknowledge and describe the other positionsRead MoreCitizen Kane - Personal Response868 Words   |  4 PagesCitizen Kane is an American drama film released in 1941. It follows the life of the main character, Charles Foster Kane, and the investigation into â€Å"rosebud† – the last word spoken before his death. Kane was a wealthy newspaper tycoon who lived a reserved lifestyle; he had many possessions but isolated himself from the public eye wherever possible towards the end of his life. The director’s portrayal of the films main themes are shown in such a way that a Year 12 group of students would be able toRead MoreWilliam Edward Burghardt s The Souls Of Black Folk1145 Words   |  5 PagesWilliam Edward Burghardt, also known as W. E. B. Du Bois, was a civil rights activist, journalist, educator, and an American sociologist among many other things. In addition, Du Bois was an author of an extremely influential book, â€Å"The Souls of Black F olk.† Published in 1903, the Civil Rights Movement was merely at its peak when this occurred. Not only molding a form of sociology, Du Bois acted and performed in the movement inevitably. W.E.B. Du Bois lived from February 23rd, 1868 to August 27thRead MoreThe Industrial Revolution2418 Words   |  10 Pagesothers has increased dramatically within society, but this new found self-worth and respect is being developed through capitalism and materialism. Human dignity has evolved into the need to present ourselves to society through the acquisition of materialistic luxuries. In urban cities more value is being placed on extrinsic dignity in the form of materialism. Materialism has taken over the essence of human dignity and has limited our dignity. We must evaluate ourselves carefully and observe the reasonsRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald Essay1441 Words   |  6 PagesThe lifestyle of the 1920s was much different than what it was like before. In the 1920s, World War I had just ended. After the war, people decided to live life more abundantly. The standard of living increased, and people were able to spend their money on items that they needed as well as more luxury items. The 1920s was called the â€Å"Roaring Twenties† because it was about having a â€Å"roaring† good time. Throughout the book The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald uses the scenes of the 1920s and the charactersRead MoreProperty Dualism1389 Words   |  6 PagesThe idea that mental states are non-reducible properties of brain states is the central tenant of a theory of mind called property dualism. However, before we can assess the theory we must be aware that the question assumes the existence of mental states and as such we cannot answer this question from some perspectives (e.g. eliminative materialism) Property dualism proclaims the existence of a single, physical substance (unlike Cartesian dualism), but argues that this single substance has twoRead MoreThe Rise Of Capitalism : Karl Marx2134 Words   |  9 Pagesinfluenced by the advancement of productive forces of modern industry and the relationships of production between the capitalist and the wage laborers. The concept of modernity refers to a post-feudal historical period that is characterized by the move away from feudalism and toward capitalism. Modernity focuses on the affects that the rise of capitalism has had on social relations, and notes Karl Marx and Max Weber as influential theorists commenting on this. The quick advancement of major innovationsRead MoreThe, The Hippies, And The Hipsters1577 Words   |  7 Pagesindividuals who defied mainstream culture with art and self-expression. In the 1950’s it was the Beatniks, in the 60’s the Hippies, and now, today’s generation is seeing the same trend with the Hipsters. When we look back on these groups and what they were like, we can find interesting similarities and differences. Each group had a set of beliefs. They invented their own type of culture. They all defied what was mainstream and wanted to find a deeper meaning to life. Each group differs in their specificRead MoreThe World s Strongest Military Power1580 Words   |  7 PagesBy the end of World War II, it was globally evident that the United States was the world’s strongest military power. During the 1950s, the United States experienced a period of glaring economic growth, with an increase in manufacturing and nation-wide consumerism. The benefits of this prosperity — television sets, new cars, new homes (suburbanization), and other consumer goods — were more prominent than ever before. The 50s were also an era of great conflict. (ex. racial discrimination and the early

Program Evaluation for Non-Profit Organization Free Essays

An organization needs to put in place an evaluation process to ascertain whether it is accomplishing its goals or not. Such evaluation would then become a very important part of the ensuing planning process. There are two ways in which an organization conducts an evaluation. We will write a custom essay sample on Program Evaluation for Non-Profit Organization or any similar topic only for you Order Now One is intended to proceed with the evaluation through the goals established by the organization. The other is to conduct the evaluation through the processes in place in the organization. With goal-based evaluation, the organization seeks to understand whether the avowed goals have been achieved or exceeded. It has an emphasis on outputs instead of processes. Even with limited resources and difficult situations, the goal-based evaluation looks at the outputs based on the inputs and other raw materials put into the process. It is usually useful for organizations that are beating deadlines, or seeking to meet targets given limited resources, time, and manpower. Results are given primacy in this kind of evaluation (Edvardsson Hansson, 2003). Process-based evaluation focuses on efficiency and effectiveness. It is geared towards minimizing costs while ensuring that the goals are achieved. With this kind of evaluation, the goals to be achieved are given and are expected to be delivered. In doing so, the organization is freed from looking at the achievement of the goals because such is expected. What the organization is focusing on, however, is the way that the goals are being achieved. Are they effective and efficient? Are they contributing to the overall objectives of the organization? Is there a way that such processes could be improved and geared to help the organization achieve more? Are the policies of the organization sound and the different departments coordinating smoothly with each other? Through these questions, the organization is taking a look at the way in which it can achieve its goals by improving its processes. The goals are important but processes are more important in certain respects because of their systemic nature. Depending on the circumstances, however, a goal-based organization may be more important than a process-oriented one (Ott, 2001). In addition to this, process-based evaluation takes a look at the policies, programs, coordination systems, and other processes at work in the organization. It makes use of a systemic view of the organization and seeks to integrate every important aspect of the organization in the evaluation process. It is more comprehensive than goal-based evaluation as it may take more time to be completed (Ott, 2001). Application of Evaluation Styles Goal-based evaluation may be more appropriate in situations where the non-profit organization is evaluating together with their clientele. In the case of an organization dedicated to community development, a goal-based evaluation would be suitable for a discussion with the community regarding the achievements of the goals. Usually, if the goals are not accomplished or achieved, the people, together with the non-profit organization can brainstorm on the problems that are being faced by the community. In addition to this, it would be important to evaluate themselves about the hindrances that they face in accomplishing the goals identified during the planning phase. Goal-based evaluation also looks at the actual outputs of the organization’s project. If the project is about reducing the number of substance addicts in the neighborhood, then a goal-based evaluation would say that the program is successful if there is a significant decline in the number of offenders. On the other hand, process-based evaluation would take a look at the overall systemic performance of the organization. Even if the results are phenomenal if the processes are not firmly in place, then such an evaluation would be careful in proclaiming success. It would look at the coordination systems, the teamwork of the organization, as well as the ethical side of things. With such an evaluation, it becomes important to look at the overall strategy of the organization instead of simply focusing on achieved goals (Ott, 2001). Establishing the Framework of a New Nonprofit Organization As a new Executive Director of a nonprofit organization, there are several things I need to do in order to ensure that the organization is setup and would thrive in the process. Without the necessary legal and financial framework, the nonprofit organization is bound to fail. The following strategies outline what needs to be done for this organization. The first step, of course, would be to define what the organization is all about—the kinds of services to be offered and the way it will be structured. The vision, mission, and goals of the organization have to be defined. The structure, on the other hand, would enable the organization to achieve its goals. Registration and Legal Personality The nonprofit organization should acquire its legal personality by being registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission or its equivalent. Through this, the nonprofit organization will be able to transact legally under the laws of the country and will be able to purchase property and open accounts under its own name. This also prevents unscrupulous persons to setup accounts and secure properties in their own names at the expense of the organization. With a legal personality, however, also comes responsibility. As such, the organization may sue persons and it can also be sued. It therefore needs to comply with legal requirements of organizations. Securing Advisers The nonprofit organization also needs legal and financial advisers so that it would not violate any law or ordinance even accidentally. A legal counsel would be needed. Although there are lawyers offering pro-bono services, it would also be a good idea to include the lawyer’s fee in the budget of the organization. Securing Funding As part of the strategy of the organization, the Executive director also needs to look for sources of funding from different organizations. Private corporations and even countries do fund initiatives for development. It takes a careful research of these organizations. Without a steady source of funding, the organization will not prosper and will only flounder if there is no steady funding. As part of the financial framework of the organization, there should also be a means to ensure transparency and accountability. This would be important in ensuring that the donors trust the organization and for the organization to adhere to governmental rules such as Sarbanes-Oxley. Although SOX, as Sarbanes-Oxley is called, was meant for companies for profit, it has provisions for non-profit organizations. Adhering to these accounting regulations can also help in enhancing the overall strategy, integrity, and transparency of the organization. Reference Edvardsson, K. Hansson, S. O. (2003). When is a goal rational?. Social Choice and Welfare, 24 (2), 343-361. Ott, J. S. (2001). The Nature of the Nonprofit Sector. New York: Westview Press. Â   Â   How to cite Program Evaluation for Non-Profit Organization, Essay examples

Negative Effects of Social Media free essay sample

Alyssa Buckley English 1A Negative Effects of Social Media on Its Users Our lives seem to be more and more consumed by technology as great advances in this area have continue to be made, especially when it comes to social media. Many researchers have begun to notice that depending on how much time individuals spend on these social media sites, they can negatively affect their daily lifestyle in very significant ways. For example, social networking has become a huge distraction for students and it can affect their grades depending on how often they check their various accounts while doing class work. Researchers have also come to find out that social media can contribute to the development of psychological symptoms and mood disorders, such as anxiety, depression, narcissism, and addiction. It has also changed the way people manage their relationships and interact with each other. In today’s digital age constant use of social media can have various negative behavioral, psychological, and social effects on its users. What many academics have initially expressed as a major concern is how the use of social media has been affecting student’s behavior in class. Several studies have shown that social media sites, such as Facebook, have become a distraction for students, negatively impacting their studies. The results of these research studies prove that grades for students at different academic levels have been declining since social media came in to existence. Because social media gives users access to everything they need to know about others so quickly, students now expect to learn class lessons at a quicker rate since they now have answers at their fingertips. Social media is a major distraction to students while trying to complete assignments, which ultimately affects their ability to manage their time effectively. The need to feel â€Å"always connected† has come to a point where it takes over lives and can negatively impact important aspects of it, such as earning goods grades in school. Study habits are not the only thing being affected by social media. It also affects classroom learning in the same manner. Students today are either bringing in their tablets, PDAs, laptops, or smart phones to class under the pretext they will be using them to take notes. However it has become evident that they spend a good portion of their time in class checking popular social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter. Social media has made it extremely easy for students to do other things when their attention spans waiver. In his article titled â€Å"Social Media’s Impact on Kids A Mixed Bag†, Dr. Rick Nauert states, â€Å"Facebook can be distracting and can negatively impact learning. Studies found that middle school, high school and college students who checked Facebook at least once during a 15-minute study period got lower grades. As a result, frustration has risen in students due to not understanding what was discussed in class. They quickly ask their instructors for help before looking over class readings or attempting practice questions. In turn teachers are now feeling like they need to be more entertaining with their class lessons in order to keep their students’ attention. This is a sort of domino effect that does not b enefit anyone involved. Students who do not engage in social media usage during class do not escape its negative effects either; watching students on social media sites during class can be a distraction in itself. Because these sites are always available to its users, they engage in excessive use and struggle to keep the amount of time they spend on these sites in check. For a student, being unable to manage your time effectively and keep up good grades can be stressful to the point where it causes anxiety. A study was conducted at Stony Brook University where researchers discovered that anxiety and depression were associated with social networking experiences. Researcher Brian Feinstein and his team concluded that the use of social media can contribute to psychological problems in social interactions, such as self-consciousness and social anxiety. As people use social networking sites more and more, psychological symptoms, such as social anxiety and depression, can begin to develop overtime. Feinstein’s research found that â€Å"depressed individuals also tend to engage in specific interpersonal behaviors, such as excessive reassurance seeking, that account for their greater likelihood of being rejected. †Ã‚   Other social anxiety symptoms that can be triggered from excessive amounts of social networking include becoming less assertive, avoiding conflict, and expressing less emotion. Results from Feinstein’s research also found that users directly felt a â€Å"depressed effect following interactions with romantic partners† and an â€Å"anxious effect following interactions with romantic partners† depending on how much time they spent on social media outside of their relationship. Not only can the amount of time we spend on social networking affect us now, but it can also cause and make an individual more vulnerable to possible psychological problems in the future (Nauert). Feeling down, lonely, and experiencing the loss of â€Å"non-digital† friends were found to be connected with internet use. In 1998, a Carnegie Mellon study proved that more time spent online would increase these negative feelings. This negative digital impact may also not be temporary, as it has the possibility to last for years in the future. Heavy social media use can help develop stress, depression, and suicidal thoughts. A new concept called â€Å"Facebook depression† is currently being discussed in academic circles. Scholars have come to the conclusion that the intensity of the online world triggers depression. The American Academy of Pediatrics has reportedly begun suggesting to doctors that they start including questions on how much their patients use social media during annual checkups to make sure they are using it in healthy amounts (Dokupil). This could help prevent the many possibilities of future psychological or emotional damage that can result in overuse of social media. Addiction to social media sites is becoming more and more common in today’s generation. People who are addicted to social media can show similar brain scan results to drug addicts. Psychologically healthy people are breaking down mentally in new ways from the overuse of social media this addiction to social media is becoming a more serious issue every day. In countries such as China, Taiwan, and Korea, where tens of thousands of people are considered â€Å"addicted,† doctors have already begun to find ways to treat those who use the internet and social media in excess. One instance was recorded in which a young man fatally beat his mother for suggesting him to log off. He then continued to use her credit card to buy more hours to stay online longer. In another incident, one young couple neglected their infant while nourishing a â€Å"virtual baby† online; their infant died. A study conducted by Elias Aboujaoude, a psychiatrist at Stanford University School of Medicine, found that more than one in eight adults showed at least one sign of unhealthy attachment to the internet (Dokupil). Social media has a strange ability to provide a sense of satisfaction in people’s live, but when it comes to actual face to face interaction it can also cause people to act in unhealthy and obsessive ways. Larry Rosen, research psychologist and educator, did a study in which he and his team surveyed 750 participants, ranging from teens to adults who represented the Southern California census. They recorded their detailed technology habits, feelings regarding those habits, and scores on a series of standard tests of psychiatric disorders. The team found that most their subjects checked their social network all the time or every fifteen minutes. Rosen discovered that those who spent more time on these social media sites revealed more compulsive personality traits. The brains of these addicts look similar to those of drug and alcohol addicts, where abnormal white matter (the nerve cells in the brain built for speed) were built up in the areas of attention, control, and overall functions. Another study conducted by Chinese researchers found abnormalities in gray matter structure (a major component of the central nervous system), resulting in shrinkage of ten to twenty percent in the area of the brain accountable for handling vital functions such as speech, memory, motor control, emotion, and sensory (Dokupil). Social media has also contributed to a rise in narcissism amongst its users. It is common that what a user presents in their social media profiles is not the truth. People who use social media sites such as Facbook or Instagram often create a digital persona that does not reflect reality. It is an image created for the sole intention to project the way a user wants other people to see them. Maintaining this image can be mentally draining. Each â€Å"like†, each favorite song, each bit of personal information that is shared no matter how minute it might be, weighs heavily on the minds of the user. It is because of this that users tend to become obsessed over their digital selves. This trait can easily be linked to narcissism. Some users of socials media share every little detail about themselves because they believe that others are interested in what they are doing or how they think, however this image is a flawed representation of themselves as users tend to only post images or updates that are positive, exciting, and intriguing. â€Å"Just as people select the most attractive photos of themselves to use as profile pictures, they tend to populate their newsfeeds with the most attractive bits of news about themselves† (Firestone). This type of behavior can be consuming as users tend to be over engaged in their online life. In her book, â€Å"Alone Together†, author Sherry Turkle explores what she refers to as â€Å"presentation anxiety†. High school students were interviewed about their social media usage and how they present themselves online. Many of the students said they spent many hours constantly updating their profiles and deciding what to share. Social media has become an outlet for people who have previously shown symptoms of narcissism which in turn amplifies them. It has also affected people who have shown no signs but now find themselves constantly worrying about their online image. In the world of Facebook, Brad says, â€Å"your minute movie preferences matter. And what groups you join. Are they the right ones? † Everything is a token, a marker for who you are: When you have to represent yourself on Facebook to convey to anyone who doesn’t know you what and who you are, it leads to a kind of obsession about minute details about yourself† (Turkle, pg. 168). Ironically, social media has had a detrimental effect on face to face social interactions. Sherry Turkle explains her perspective on how social media has negatively impacted our lives socially in her article â€Å"The Flight From Conversation.    With technology advancing so quickly, we are now able to be with whoever we want, whenever we want, and it is just a click away. By using this technology, Turkle also points out that we can control the distance of multiple relationships, to the point where it is â€Å"not too close, not too far, just right†. With today’s generation, more and more social media users have come to the conclusion that human relationships can become cluttered and demanding, however they can now clean them up with technology. In-person conversations require a person to see things from another’s point of view; it requires patience and the ability to stay focused in order to listen to what the other person has to say. However, as we increase the amount of online connections we hold, we start to expect faster answers and ask simpler questions. We are now â€Å"dumbing down† our communication skills. Turkle believes as a result of this, people will stop caring and forget the valuable differences between online interaction and face-to-face interaction overtime. In addition, Turkle also argues that the social media myth of reducing loneliness by having a constant connection is false. Many users feel the need to express their feelings online because they feel as if no one is listening to them in the â€Å"real world†. With the vast amount of people that are online, they automatically feel that they are being heard when in fact they may not be at all. This temporarily relieves their feeling of loneliness however, when a user logs off, the feeling of loneliness will eventually creep up again. When people are alone, they feel he need to reach for a device where they can connect to social media sites to reach others. This type of connection is more like a symptom of addiction, not a cure for loneliness. Turkle sums up this negative social media effect by explaining, â€Å"If we don’t teach our children to be alone, they will know only how to be lonely†. It is a fact; there is no escaping the digital age. It is changing just a bout every aspect of our lives. It seems like we are constantly connected to technology whether we want to be or not. Data and personal information are shared in a blink of an eye with thousands to millions of people. Most of this information will live online forever which is a bit of a scary thought. When someone sends a message, posts a comment, or shares personal information, I now believe that it is important to analyze it to gain insight on possible underlying problems. Through the course of my research I was a bit shocked by the initial findings of some the studies that have been conducted on social media usage. From affecting student’s grades to exacerbating narcissism to creating addiction like symptoms in some people, social media has very serious side effects that must be researched further in order to identify and treat early. Social media is definitely not all bad however. There are many benefits from the advancements that are being discovered in the digital age. Staying connected with friends, finding information, and new mediums of learning have all been beneficial to society. I believe the problems that are now being discovered from social media usage can be kept in check by educating users about the dangers of social media. It is important that the medical community begin to recognize these recent research findings on the negative effects of social media, and internet usage in general, as a serious medical health problem in today’s society. Works Cited Feinstein, Brian, Vickie Bhatia, Rachel Hershenberg, and Joanne Davila. † Another Venue For Problematic Interpersonal Behavior: The Effects of Depressive and Anxious Symptoms on Social Networking Experiences. † Journal of Science and Clinical Psychology. 11. 4 (2012): 356-382. Print. Firestone, Lisa . Is Social Media to Blame for the Rise in Narcissism?. Huffington Post Canada Canadian News Stories, Breaking News, Opinion. 15 Oct 2012. Web. 10 Apr 2013.

Youth crime free essay sample

This essay will critically examine the strengths and weaknesses of the theory that young people offend because of their upbringing. The term ‘upbringing’ means the care and teaching received by the child from the parent throughout their childhood. There has been extensive research and controversial debate into upbringing being the root cause of youth crime and this essay will examine evidence to support this claim and evidence to dispute it. Although it is quite subjective as to whether a bad childhood is the cause of youth crime, the fact remains that a quarter of all reported crime is committed by young offenders between the ages of ten to seventeen. Home Office statistics show more than a half of all recorded robberies (51%), a third of burglaries (32%) and a third of vehicle crimes (31%) were the result of young offenders. (Home Office, 2012) Shockingly England and Wales has more young people in custody than any other European country. We will write a custom essay sample on Youth crime or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Content There are two patterns of youth offending behaviour, ‘adolescent-limited’ and ‘life course-persistent’. Adolescent-limited offending is often a result of young teenage people being influenced by their peers that they are mixing with. Teenagers are particularly vulnerable at this stage because the ability to moderate risk-taking and thrill-seeking does not fully develop until their late teens. Life course-persistent is when anti-social behaviour manifests itself earlier on and is linked to risk factors that can operate much earlier on in a child’s life, like poor parenting, abuse and neglect, and medical conditions like ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). What this information suggests is that relatively few young people who commit crime when they are in their teens go on to become prolific offenders for the rest of their life. (Moffitt, 1993) Criminal behaviour in adolescence is relatively common due to peer pressure and thrill seeking. Forty percent of offences are committed by people under sixteen about half of males and a third of females, report having committed at least one offence before the age of eighteen. (Newburn, 2002) However, offending declines rapidly after adolescence and many youth offenders do not remain offenders in adulthood. (Sutherland 1938) Strengths Many family factors have been shown to predict young offending, particularly relating to bad parenting such as harsh discipline, poor supervision and low parental involvement with the child. Evidence shows that a destructive upbringing can be damaging to the child resulting in impulsivity, attention problems, low school attainment and behavioural problems. (Farrington, 2007) A shocking statistic of twenty five percent of boys and forty percent of girls in custody say they have experienced violence at home. In July 2012 Jessica Jacobson and Amy Kirby from the Home Office published a report on the causes to youth crime. What was identified as the primary cause was poor parenting and lack of discipline from parents, schools and society; this meant that children were growing up with no respect for authority and no understanding that their actions have consequences. (Home Office, 2012) The most significant factor that influences character formation is the upbringing a child receives. Studies show that children brought up with good parents, grow up to be well rounded, responsible adults. Children surrounded by criminal family or friends during their developing years are more likely to become criminals because they build up anti-authority attitudes and the belief that offending is justified. (Farrington, 1994) Sutherland (1942) argues that criminal behaviour is socially learned behaviour. If a child is brought up within a criminal upbringing, they associate to crime and learn techniques to commit crime. Wells and Rankin’s (1991) found that delinquency was ten to fifteen percent higher among children from broken homes than those from intact homes, the range of offences were vast like underage drinking, truancy, running away from home, burglary, theft, robbery and assault. Rodgers and Pryor (1998) conducted the same experiment again seven years later and found the research findings had changed dramatically; children from broken homes were double the number at risk of delinquency than children from intact families. The theory that upbringing can cause offending is not a new phenomenon, Walter Miller in (1958) identified four reasons for over conformity to focal concerns that lead to delinquency. One reason was that boys that have fatherless or female dominated homes become delinquent because of insecurity due to unstable or broken homes and overcompensating for the lack of male role models by being masculine themselves, engaging in street fights and anti-social behaviour. Social control theory is another example of how upbringing can lead to young offending. Travis Hirschi believes that young people that commit crime and use drugs do so because they lack self-control. He suggests that lack of self-control is the result of poor parenting and families that are unable or unwilling to monitor their childrens behaviour. (Hirschi, 1969) Weaknesses Parents could be getting the blame for youth crime in a bid to avoid taking responsibility and escape punishment or sentencing. During the London riots in August 2011, David Cameron stated that parenting was to blame, but many young offenders stated that they knew what they were doing and hoped that their mothers did not find out. Research showed that rioters were going against their upbringings due to factors of boredom, opportunism and economic deprivation. In this case upbringing was not a factor it was that public services like youth clubs were cut in the area because of the austerity policy. The austerity policy is the Government cutting public services and benefits in a bid to pay back debts but this was causing crime. Poverty and social disadvantage are closely related to youth offending. It was no wonder trainer and mobile phone shops were being looted because people could afford luxury items due to deprivation, high youth unemployment, benefits cuts and child allowance being stopped. This all meant that families were struggling to survive in this double dip recession. The root cause of crime here was economic deprivation not upbringing. Another example of how upbringing is irrelevant is in Jack Katz (1988) ‘seduction of crime theory’ he argues that the real cause of juvenile delinquency is simply because they enjoy offending. He also thinks that a large portion of crime is committed because young people are addicted to it. Katzs (1988), states that at the moment of the crime, there is a transition that takes place from the choice to commit crimes rationally to a compulsion to do so. He describes how offenders are seduced by the compulsion to commit crime. Travis Hirschi (1969) social control theory states that there are several genes that are hypothesized to have an influence on the development of antisocial behaviour and conduct disorders. There has been slow progress in identifying these genes. Now, it seems that certain serotonin pathway genes may be associated with impulsiveness, antisocial, aggressiveness and violent behaviour that can lead to criminality. Conclusion It was extremely important in this essay to identify the two different types of young offending by criminologist Moffitt (1993). This is because it shows two different types of behaviour patterns and two different root causes. It confirms that some people offend because of their upbringing and others are motivated by other factors like peer pressure, economic deprivation, boredom. What this shows is that offenders are motivated by different factors. The case studies in this field carried out by criminologists like Farrington and others have only investigated the cause of youth crime from a boy’s perspective and found that upbringing is a risk factor for delinquency. With the release of youth crime figures from the Home Office (May 2012) that showed one hundred and sixty thousand crimes were committed by girls, research into the cause of female offending needs to be examined because the cause of female youth crime could be different to boys. In the 21st century society has a growing problem with girl gangs and female delinquency and the cause might not be upbringing but biology, genetics and hormones or another factor completely. Research shows that victims that suffer bad upbringings and endure physical, mental and sexual abuse can transition from victim to perpetrator. This is due to a number of factors like learnt behaviour and the perpetuating cycle of abuse. A bad childhood does not excuse serious crime but a report from the Youth Offending Team consisting of opinions from young offenders stated that unresolved problems or feelings from their childhood propelled them into offending. However some offenders use a bad childhood to blame parents, to avoid taking responsibility and a way of getting a more lenient sentence or punishment. (Ministry of Justice, 2012) Primary socialisation states that part of family life is to instil the values of right and wrong but there is not only one way to learn right from wrong. If a person receives bad instructions or advice from their parents or no advice at all, there is always secondary socialisation where they can learn a good moral compass from school, religion and society as a whole. Hirschi (1969) Stated if young people are attached to school and religion then that brings a greater level of social control. Residential instability which includes the disruption of family life and parental controls and the erosion of community solidarity for example neighbours twenty years ago were an extension of the family and maintaining social order. All this leads to social disorganisation which is the breakdown of social controls that allows crime and delinquency to flourish. On the 8th of January 2013 it was reported that a record number of parents were getting a criminal record as a punishment for letting their children play truant from school. Ten thousand parents a year are being found guilty of letting their sons or daughter miss school lessons. (Ministry of Justice)This is another example of how parents are being held responsible for young people offending. Parents will receive on the spot financial fines of sixty pounds; if they do not pay it is doubled to one hundred and twenty pounds. If parents go to court they could pay up to two and a half thousand pounds. References Youth crime free essay sample Juvenile delinquency, also known as juvenile offending, or youth crime, is participation in illegal behavior by minors? (juveniles) (individuals younger than the statutory? age of majority? ). [1] Most legal systems? prescribe specific procedures for dealing with juveniles, such as juvenile detention centers? , and courts?. A juvenile delinquent is a person who is typically under the age of 18 and commits an act that otherwise would have been charged as a crime if they were an adult. Depending on the type and severity of the offense committed, it is possible for persons under 18 to be charged and tried as adults. In recent years in the US the average age for first arrest? has dropped significantly, and younger boys and girls are committing crimes. Between 60–80% percent of adolescents? , and pre-adolescents engage in some form of juvenile offense. [2] These can range from status offenses? (such as underage smoking), to property crimes? and violent crimes?. The percent of teens who offend is so high that it would seem to be a cause for worry. We will write a custom essay sample on Youth crime or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page However, juvenile offending can be considered normative adolescent behavior. [2]This is because most teens tend to offend by committing non-violent crimes, only once or a few times, and only during adolescence. It is when adolescents offend repeatedly or violently that their offending is likely to continue beyond adolescence, and become increasingly violent. It is also likely that if this is the case, they began offending and displaying antisocial behavior even before reaching adolescence. [3] Contents [hide? ] 1 Types? 1. 1 Sex differences? 1. 2 Racial differences? 2 Risk factors? 2. 1 Individual risk factors? 2. 2 Family environment and peer influence? 3 Crime Theories Applicable to Juvenile Delinquency? 3. 1 Rational choice? 3. 2 Social disorganization? 3. 3 Strain? 3. 4 Differential association? 3. 5 Labeling? 3. 6 Social control? 4 Juvenile delinquents diagnosed with mental/conduct disorders? 5 Prevention? 6 Critique of risk factor research? 7 Juvenile sex crimes? 7. 1 Prevalence data? 7. 2 Official record data? 7. 3 Males who commit sexual crimes? 8 See also? 9 References? 10 Further reading? 11 External links? Types[edit? ] Juvenile delinquency, or offending, can be separated into three categories: delinquency, crimes committed by minors which are dealt with by the juvenile courts? and justice system; criminal behavior, crimes? dealt with by the criminal justice system? ; status offenses? , offenses which are only classified as such because one is a minor, such as truancy? , also dealt with by the juvenile courts. [4] According to the developmental research of Moffitt (2006),[2] there are two different types of offenders that emerge in adolescence. One is the repeat offender, referred to as the life-course-persistent offender, who begins offending or showing antisocial/aggressive behavior in adolescence (or even childhood? ) and continues into adulthood? ; and the age specific offender, referred to as the adolescence-limited offender, for whom juvenile offending or delinquency begins and ends during their period of adolescence. [3] Because most teenagers tend to show some form of antisocial, aggressive or delinquent behavior during adolescence, it is important to account for these behaviors in childhood in order to determine whether they will be life-course-persistent offenders or adolescence-limited offenders. [3] Although adolescence-limited offenders tend to drop all criminal activity once they enter adulthood and show less pathology than life-course-persistent offenders, they still show more mental health, substance abuse, and finance problems, both in adolescence and adulthood, than those who were never delinquent. [5] Sex differences[edit? ] Juvenile offending is disproportionately[6] committed by young men?. Feminist? theorists and others have examined why this is the case. [7] One suggestion is that ideas of masculinity? may make young men more likely to offend. Being tough, powerful? , aggressive? , daring and competitive? becomes a way for young men to assert and express their masculinity. [8] Acting out these ideals may make young men more likely to engage in antisocial? and criminal behavior. [9] Also, the way young men are treated by others, because of their masculinity, may reinforce aggressive traits and behaviors, and make them more susceptible to offending. [9] Alternatively, young men may actually be naturally more aggressive, daring and prone to risk-taking. According to a study led by Florida State University? criminologist Kevin M. Beaver, adolescent males who possess a certain type of variation in a specific gene? are more likely to flock to delinquent peers. The study, which appears in the September 2008 issue of the Journal of Genetic Psychology, is the first to establish a statistically significant association between an affinity for antisocial peer groups and a particular variation (called the 10-repeat allele) of the dopamine? transporter gene (DAT1). [10] In recent years however, there has also been a bridging of the gap between sex differences concerning juvenile delinquency. While it is still more common for males to offend than females, the ratio of arrests by sex is one third of what it was 20 years ago (at 2. 5 to 1 today). [11] This is most likely due to the combined effects of more females being arrested (for offenses which did not get them arrested before), and a drop in male offenses. [12] Racial differences[edit? ] This article reads like an editorial or opinion piece?. Please help improve this article? by rewriting it in anencyclopedic style? to make it neutral? in tone. See WP:No original research? and WP:NOTOPINION? for further details. There is also a significant skew in the racial statistics for juvenile offenders. When considering these statistics, which state that black and Hispanic teens are more likely to commit juvenile offenses it is important to keep the following in mind,from poverty to low parental monitoring, harsh parenting, and association with gangs, all of which are in turn associated with juvenile offending. The majority of adolescents who live in poverty are young black men, and for me its sad to even have to say that its not fair to anyone but why we have to put black men in this category. We as adults or our own community need to be more involved with our youths keep them off the streets offer more after school programs, the streets is were it all starts they see their fathers or older brothers making quick money so they want to follow but it only gets you in prison or dead. I see this first hand in my city. The most recent was an RTA driver got shot by some teenagers they quoted you have to kill a polar bear to be a full gang member, well the driver was a white man and he was shot three times and lived. hapter=Developmental criminology and risk-focused prevention |editor1-first=M. |editor1-last=Maguire |editor2-last=et al. |title=The Oxford Handbook of Criminology |edition=3rd |location=Oxford |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=0199256098 }} Also, minorities who offend, even as adolescents, are more likely to be arrested and punished more harshly by the law if caught. [13] Particularly concerning a non-violent crime and when compared to white adolescents. While poor minorities are more likely to commit violent crimes, one third of affluent teens report committing violent crimes. [2] Ethnic minority status has been included as a risk factor of psychosocial maladaptation in several studies (e. g. , Gutman et al. 2003; Sameroff et al. 1993; Dallaire et al. 2008), and represents a relative social disadvantage placed on these individuals. Though the relation between delinquency and race is complex and may be explained by other contextual risk variables (see, for example, Holmes et al. 2009), the total arrest rate for black juveniles aged 10–17 is more than twice that as of white juveniles (National Center for Juvenile Justice 2008)(p. 1474). [14] This does not seem to be the case for the minority group of East Asian background. [citation needed] Risk factors[edit? ] The two largest predictors of juvenile delinquency are parenting style? , with the two styles most likely to predict delinquency being permissive parenting, characterized by a lack of consequence-based discipline and encompassing two subtypes known as neglectful parenting, characterized by a lack of monitoring and thus of knowledge of the childs activities, and indulgent parenting, characterized by affirmative enablement? of misbehavior authoritarian parenting, characterized by harsh discipline and refusal to justify discipline on any basis other than because I said so; peer group association? , particularly with antisocial peer groups, as is more likely when adolescents are left unsupervised. [2] Other factors that may lead a teenager into juvenile delinquency include poor or low socioeconomic status? , poor school readiness/performance and/or failure, peer rejection, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?. There may also be biological factors, such as high levels of serotonin? , giving them a difficult temper and poor self-regulation, and a lower resting heart rate, which may lead to fearlessness. Most of these tend to be influenced by a mix of both genetic and environmental factors. [2] Individual risk factors[edit? ] Individual psychological or behavioural? risk factors that may make offending more likely include low intelligence? , impulsiveness? or the inability to delaygratification? , aggression? , lack of empathy? , and restlessness?. [15] Other risk factors which may be evident during childhood and adolescence include, aggressive or troublesome behavior, language delays or impairments, lack of emotional control (learning to control ones anger), and cruelty to animals. [16] Children with low intelligence? are more likely to do badly in school?. This may increase the chances of offending because low educational attainment, a low attachment to school, and low educational aspirations are all risk factors for offending in themselves. [9][17][18] Children who perform poorly at school are also more likely to be truant? , and the status offense of truancy is linked to further offending. [15] Impulsiveness is seen by some as the key aspect of a childspersonality? that predicts offending. [15] However, it is not clear whether these aspects of personality are a result of â€Å"deficits in the executive functions of the brain? †[15] or a result of parental influences or other social factors. [19] In any event, studies of adolescent development show that teenagers are more prone to risk-taking? , which may explain the high disproportionate rate of offending among adolescents. [2] Family environment and peer influence[edit? ] Family factors which may have an influence on offending include: the level of parental supervision? , the way parents discipline? a child, particularly harshpunishment? , parental conflict or separation? , criminal parents or siblings, parental abuse or neglect? , and the quality of the parent-child relationship. [19] Some have suggested that having a lifelong partner leads to less offending. [citation needed] Children brought up by lone parents? are more likely to start offending than those who live with two natural parents. It is also more likely that children of single parents may live in poverty, which is strongly associated with juvenile delinquency. [2] However once the attachment a child feels towards their parent(s) and the level of parental supervision are taken into account, children in single parent families are no more likely to offend than others. [19] Conflict between a childs parents is also much more closely linked to offending than being raised by a lone parent. [9] If a child has low parental supervision they are much more likely to offend. [19] Many studies have found a strong correlation between a lack of supervision and offending, and it appears to be the most important family influence on offending. [15][19] When parents commonly do not know where their children are, what their activities are, or who their friends are, children are more likely to truant from school and have delinquent friends, each of which are linked to offending. [19]A lack of supervision is also connected to poor relationships between children and parents. Children who are often in conflict with their parents may be less willing to discuss their activities with them. [19] Adolescents with criminal siblings? are only more likely to be influenced by their siblings, and also become delinquent, if the sibling is older, of the same sex/gender, and warm. [16] Cases where a younger criminal sibling influences an older one are rare. An aggressive, non-loving/warm sibling is less likely to influence a younger sibling in the direction of delinquency, if anything, the more strained the relationship between the siblings, the less they will want to be like, and/or influence each other. [16] Peer rejection? in childhood is also a large predictor of juvenile delinquency. Although children are rejected by peers for many reasons, it is often the case that they are rejected due to violent or aggressive behavior. This rejections affects the childs ability to be socialized? properly, which can reduce their aggressive tendencies, and often leads them to gravitate towards anti-social peer groups. [16] This association often leads to the promotion of violent, aggressive and deviant behavior. The impact of deviant peer group influences on the crystallization of an antisocial developmental trajectory has been solidly documented. [16] Aggressive adolescents who have been rejected by peers are also more likely to have a hostile attribution bias which leads people to interpret the actions of others (whether they be hostile or not) as purposefully hostile and aggressive towards them. This often leads to an impulsive and aggressive reaction. [20] Hostile attribution bias however, can appear at any age during development and often lasts throughout a persons life. Children resulting from unintended pregnancies? are more likely to exhibit delinquent behavior. [21] They also have lower mother-child relationship quality. [22] Crime Theories Applicable to Juvenile Delinquency[edit? ] There are a multitude of different theories on the causes of crime? , most if not all of are applicable to the causes of juvenile delinquency. Rational choice[edit? ] Classical criminology stresses that causes of crime lie within the individual? offender, rather than in their external environment. For classicists, offenders are motivated by rational? self-interest? , and the importance of free will? and personal responsibility? is emphasized. [7] Rational choice theory? is the clearest example of this idea. Delinquency is one of the major factors motivated by rational choice. Social disorganization[edit? ] Current positivist approaches? generally focus on the culture?. A type of criminological theory attributing variation in crime and delinquency over time and among territories to the absence or breakdown of communal institutions (e. g. family, school, church and social groups. ) and communal relationships that traditionally encouraged cooperative relationships among people. Strain[edit? ] Strain theory? is associated mainly with the work of Robert Merton?. He felt that there are institutionalized? paths to success in society?. Strain theory holds that crime is caused by the difficulty those in poverty? have in achieving socially valued goals by legitimate means. [7] As those with, for instance, poor educational attainment have difficulty achieving wealth and status by securing well paid employment, they are more likely to use criminal means to obtain these goals. [23] Mertons suggests five adaptations to this dilemma: 1 Innovation: individuals who accept socially approved goals, but not necessarily the socially approved means. 2 Retreatism: those who reject socially approved goals and the means for acquiring them. 3 Ritualism: those who buy into a system of socially approved means, but lose sight of the goals. Merton believed that drug users are in this category. 4 Conformity: those who conform to the systems means and goals. 5 Rebellion: people who negate socially approved goals and means by creating a new system of acceptable goals and means. A difficulty with strain theory is that it does not explore why children of low-income families would have poor educational attainment in the first place. More importantly is the fact that much youth crime does not have an economic motivation. Strain theory fails to explain violent crime? , the type of youth crime which causes most anxiety to the public. Differential association[edit? ] The theory of Differential association? also deals with young people in a group context, and looks at how peer pressure and the existence of gangs could lead them into crime. It suggests young people are motivated to commit crimes by delinquent peers, and learn criminal skills from them. The diminished influence of peers after men marry? has also been cited as a factor in desisting from offending. There is strong evidence that young people with criminal friends are more likely to commit crimes themselves . However it may be the case that offenders prefer to associate with one another, rather than delinquent peers causing someone to start offending. Furthermore there is the question of how the delinquent peer group became delinquent initially. Labeling[edit? ] Labeling theory? is a concept within Criminology that aims to explain deviant behavior from the social context rather than looking at the individual themselves. It is part of Interactionism criminology that states that once young people have been labeled as criminal they are more likely to offend. [7] The idea is that once labelled as deviant a young person may accept that role? , and be more likely to associate with others who have been similarly labelled. [7] Labelling theorists say that male children from poor families are more likely to be labelled deviant, and that this may partially explain why there are more working class? young male offenders. [9] Social control[edit? ] Social control theory? proposes that exploiting the process of socialization? and social learning builds self-control? and can reduce the inclination to indulge in behavior recognized as antisocial. The four types of control can help prevent juvenile delinquency are: Direct: by which punishment is threatened or applied for wrongful behavior, and compliance is rewarded by parents, family, and authority figures. Internal: by which a youth refrains from delinquency through the conscience or superego. Indirect: by identification with those who influence behavior, say because his or her delinquent act might cause pain and disappointment to parents and others with whom he or she has close relationships. Control through needs satisfaction, i. e. if all an individuals needs are met, there is no point in criminal activity. Juvenile delinquents diagnosed with mental/conduct disorders[edit? ] Juvenile delinquents are often diagnosed different disorders. Around six to sixteen percent of male teens and two to nine percent of female teens have a conduct disorder. These can vary from oppositional-defiant disorder, which is not necessarily aggressive, to antisocial personality disorder, often diagnosed among psychopaths. [24] A conduct disorder? can develop during childhood and then manifest itself during adolescence. [25] Juvenile delinquents who have recurring encounters with the criminal justice system, or in other words those who are life-course-persistent offenders, are sometimes diagnosed with conduct disorders? because they show a continuous disregard for their own and others safety and/or property. Once the juvenile continues to exhibit the same behavioral patterns and turns eighteen he is then at risk of being diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder? and much more prone to become a serious criminal offender. [26] One of the main components used in diagnosing an adult with antisocial personality disorder consists of presenting documented history of conduct disorder before the age of 15. These two personality disorders are analogous in their erratic and aggressive behavior. This is why habitual juvenile offenders diagnosed with conduct disorder are likely to exhibit signs of antisocial personality disorder early in life and then as they mature. Some times these juveniles reach maturation and they develop into career criminals, or life-course-persistent offenders. Career criminals begin committing antisocial behavior before entering grade school and are versatile in that they engage in an array of destructive behaviors, offend at exceedingly high rates, and are less likely to quit committing crime as they age. [26] Quantitative research was completed on 9,945 juvenile male offenders between the ages of 10 and 18 in the 1970s. [where? ] The longitudinal birth cohort was used to examine a trend among a small percentage of career criminals who accounted for the largest percentage of crime activity. [27] The trend exhibited a new phenomenon amongst habitual offenders. The phenomenon indicated that only 6% of the youth qualified under their definition of a habitual offender (known today as life-course persistent offenders, or career criminals) and yet were responsible for 52% of the delinquency within the entire study. [27] The same 6% of chronic offenders accounted for 71% of the murders and 69% of the aggravated assaults. [27] This phenomenon was later researched among an adult population in 1977 and resulted in similar findings. S. A. Mednick did a birth cohort of 30,000 males and found that 1% of the males were responsible for more than half of the criminal activity. [28] The habitual crime behavior found amongst juveniles is similar to that of adults. As stated before most life-course persistent offenders begin exhibiting antisocial, violent, and/or delinquent behavior, prior to adolescence. Therefore, while there is a high rate of juvenile delinquency, it is the small percentage of life-course persistent, career criminals that are responsible for most of the violent crimes. Prevention[edit? ] Delinquency prevention is the broad term for all efforts aimed at preventing youth from becoming involved in criminal, or other antisocial, activity. Because the development of delinquency in youth is influenced by numerous factors, prevention efforts need to be comprehensive in scope. Prevention services may include activities such as substance abuse education and treatment, family counseling, youth mentoring, parenting education, educational support, and youth sheltering. Increasing availability and use of family planning? services, including education and contraceptives? helps to reduce unintended pregnancy? and unwanted births, which are risk factors for delinquency. It has been noted that often interventions may leave at-risk children worse off then if there had never been an intervention. [29] This is due primarily to the fact that placing large groups of at risk children together only propagates delinquent or violent behavior. Bad teens get together to talk about the bad things theyve done, and it is received by their peers in a positive reinforcing light, promoting the behavior among them. [29] As mentioned before, peer groups, particularly an association with antisocial peer groups, is one of the biggest predictors of delinquency, and of life-course-persistent delinquency. The most efficient interventions are those that not only separate at-risk teens from anti-social peers, and place them instead with pro-social ones, but also simultaneously improve their home environment by training parents with appropriate parenting styles,[29] parenting style being the other large predictor of juvenile delinquency. Critique of risk factor research[edit? ] Two UK academics, Stephen Case and Kevin Haines, among others, criticized risk factor research in their academic papers and a comprehensive polemic text,Understanding Youth Offending: Risk Factor Research, Policy and Practice. The robustness and validity of much risk factor research is criticized for: Reductionism? e. g. over-simplfying complex experiences and circumstances by converting them to simple quantities, relying on a psychosocial focus whilst neglecting potential socio-structural and political influences; Determinism? e. g. characterising young people as passive victims of risk experiences with no ability to construct, negotiate or resist risk; Imputation? e. g. assuming that risk factors and definitions of offending are homogenous across countries and cultures, assuming that statistical correlations between risk factors and offending actually represent causal relationships, assuming that risk factors apply to individuals on the basis of aggregated data. Juvenile sex crimes[edit? ] The examples and perspective in this section deal primarily with USA and do not represent a worldwide view? of the subject. Please improve this article? and discuss the issue on the talk page?. (July 2010) Juveniles? who commit sexual crimes refer to individuals adjudicated in a criminal court? for a sexual crime. [30] Sex crimes are defined as sexually abusive behavior committed by a person under the age of 18 that is perpetrated â€Å"against the victim’s will, without consent, and in an aggressive, exploitative, manipulative, or threatening manner†. [31] It is important to utilize appropriate terminology for juvenile sex offenders. Harsh and inappropriate expressions include terms such as â€Å"pedophile? , child molester? , predator? , perpetrator? , and mini-perp†[32] These terms have often been associated with this group, regardless of the youth’s age, diagnosis? , cognitive abilities? , or developmental stage?. [32] Using appropriate expressions can facilitate a more accurate depiction of juvenile sex offenders and may decrease the subsequent aversive psychological affects from using such labels. [32] In the Arab Gulf states? [sic], homosexual acts? are classified as an offense, and constitute one of the primary crimes for which juvenile males are charged. [33] Prevalence data[edit? ] Examining prevalence data and the characteristics of juvenile? sex offenders? is a fundamental component to obtain a precise understanding of this heterogeneous group. With mandatory reporting laws in place, it became a necessity for providers to report any incidents of disclosed sexual abuse. Longo and Prescott indicate that juveniles commit approximately 30-60% of all child sexual abuse. [32] The Federal Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Reports indicate that in 2008 youth under the age of 18 accounted for 16. 7% of forcible rapes and 20. 61% of other sexual offenses. [34] Center for Sex Offender Management indicates that approximately one-fifth of all rapes? and one-half of all sexual child molestation can be accounted for by juveniles. [35] Official record data[edit? ] The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention indicates that 15% of juvenile arrests? occurred for rape in 2006, and 12% were clearance (resolved by an arrest). [36] The total number of juvenile arrests in 2006 for forcible rape was 3,610 with 2% being female and 36% being under the age of 15 years old. [36]This trend has declined throughout the years with forcible rape from 1997–2006 being ? 30% and from 2005-2006 being ? 10%. [36] The OJJDP reports that the juvenile arrest rate for forcible rape increased from the early 1980s through the 1990s and at that time it fell again. [36] All types of crime rates fell in the 1990s. [citation needed] The OJJDP also reported that the total number of juvenile arrests in 2006 for sex offenses (other than forcible rape) was 15,900 with 10% being female and 47% being under the age of 15. [36] There was again a decrease with the trend throughout the years with sex offenses from 1997–2006 being ? 16% and from 2005-2006 being ? 9%. [36] Males who commit sexual crimes[edit? ] Barbaree and Marshall indicate that juvenile males contribute to the majority of sex crimes, with 2–4% of adolescent males having reported committing sexually assaultive behavior, and 20% of all rapes and 30–50% of all child molestation? are perpetrated by adolescent males. [30] It is clear that males are over-represented in this population. This is consistent with Ryan and Lane’s research indicating that males account for 91-93% of the reported juvenile sex offenses. [31] Righthand and Welch reported that females account for an estimated 2–11% of incidents of sexual offending. [37] In addition, it reported by The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention that in the juvenile arrests during 2006, African American male youth were disproportionately arrested (34%) for forcible rape. [36] See also[edit? ] ? Law portal? Young offender? Adolescence? Antisocial personality disorder? Deviance (sociology)? Juvenile delinquency in the United States? Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention? Person in need of supervision? Status offense? Teen courts? Victimology? Youth court? Anti-Social Behaviour Order? Conduct Disorder? Kazan phenomenon? References[edit? ] 6 Jump up^? Siegel, Larry J. ; Welsh, Brandon (2011). Juvenile Delinquency: The Core (4th ed. ). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/cengage Learning. ISBN? 0534519326?. 7 ^ Jump up to:a? b? c? d? e? f? g? h? Steinberg, L. (2008). Adolescence(8th ed. ). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. ISBN? 9780073405483?. 8 ^ Jump up to:a? b? c? Moffitt (2006). Life course persistent versus adolescent limited antisocial behavior. In Cicchetti, D. ; Cohen, D. Developmental Psychopathy (2nd ed. ). New York: Wiley. 9 Jump up^? Woolard; Scott (2009). The legal regulation of adolescence. In Lerner, R. ; Steinberg, L. Handbook of Adolescent psychology 2 (3rd ed. ). New York: Wiley. pp. 345–371. ISBN? 9780470149225?. 10 Jump up^? Aguilar, Sroufe, Egeland, Carlson, 2000 11 Jump up^? Violence by Teenage Girls: Trends and Context? , Office of Justice Programs, U. S. Department of Justice 12 ^ Jump up to:a? b? c? d? e? Eadie, T. ; Morley, R. (2003). Crime, Justice and Punishment. In Baldock, J. ; et al. Social Policy (3rd ed. ). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN? 0199258945?. 13 Jump up^? Brown, S. (1998) Understanding Youth and Crime (Listening to youth? ), Buckingham: Open University Press. Page 109 14 ^ Jump up to:a? b? c? d? e? Walklate, S (2003). Understanding Criminology – Current Theoretical Debates, 2nd edition, Maidenhead: Open University Press. 15 Jump up^? Study Reveals Specific Gene in Adolescent Men with Delinquent Peers? Newswise, Retrieved on October 1, 2008. 16 Jump up^? Steffensmeier; Schawrtz; Zhong; Ackerman (2005). An assessment of recent trend in girls violence using diverse longitudinal sources: Is gender gap closing? . Criminology 43 (2): 355–406. doi? :10. 1111/j. 0011-1348. 2005. 00011. x?. 17 Jump up^? Cauffman; et al. (2008). Bad boys or poor parents: Relations to female juvenile delinquency. Journal on Research on Adolescence 18 (4): 119–142. doi? :10. 1111/j. 1532-7795. 2008. 00577. x?. 18 Jump up^? Cauffman; Piquero; Kimonis; Steinberg; Chassin (2007). Legal, individual, and environmental predictors of court disposition in a sample of serious adolescent offenders. Law and Human Behavior 31 (6): 519–535. doi? :10. 1007/s10979-006-9076-2?. 19 Jump up^? Aaron, L. ; Dallaire, D. H. (2010). Parental Incarceration and Multiple Risk Experiences: Effect on Family Dynamics and Childrens Delinquency. Journal of Youth and Adolescence 39 (12): 1471–1484. doi? :10. 1007/s10964-009-9458-0?. 20 ^ Jump up to:a? b? c? d? e? Farrington, D. P. (2002). Developmental criminology and risk-focused prevention.

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English 102 Summer 18 Syllabus Unit 1: Critical Engagement with Media

Achievements Towards Wawasan 2020 So Far Economics Essay

Achievements Towards Wawasan 2020 So Far Economics Essay The implementation of such a great idea was and is still thought to be impossible by many Malaysians. The skepticism of many was understandable, but, as the saying goes, â€Å"Rome was not built in one day†. The initial efforts needed to bring the Wawasan 2020 vision to life had already been started since the early nineties. Many if the challenges set by Tun  Dr.  Mahathir have seen light in various forms, starting with some of the main challenges, being â€Å"Establishing a united Malaysian nation made up of one Bangsa Malaysia† and â€Å"Establishing a matured liberal and tolerant society† One Malaysia (1Malaysia) This particular goal is being implemented through the 1Malaysia programme, which is mostly being used as a catalyst for the Wawasan 2020 idea. The 1Malaysia programme was designed by Malaysian Prime Minister  Najib Tun Razak  on 16 September 2010, calling for the cabinet, governmental agencies, and civil servants to more strongly emphasize on ethnic harmony, national unity, and efficient governance. An official logo and slogan has been introduced along with the commencement of 1Malaysia concept. The logo is the symbol of ‘1’ which includes the national  flag and the word Malaysia. The Malaysian government has spent RM 38 million to promote the 1Malaysia concept in 2010 (Joseph Sipalan, April 2011). http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4b/1Malaysia.svg/100px-1Malaysia.svg.png The 1Malaysia Logo Moreover, the slogans for the 1Malaysia concept have been changing each year. The slogan for the beginning of the promotion campaign for the program, in 2009, was: † Rakyat Didahulukan, Pencapaian Diutamakan  (People First, Performance Now)† In 2010, it had been changed to: â€Å"Menjana Transformasi  (Generating Transformation)† In 2011, the slogan was: â€Å"Transformasi Berjaya, Rakyat Sejahtera  (Transformation Successful, People Prosperous)† For 2012, the slogan is: à ¢â‚¬Å"Janji Ditepati  (Promises Fulfilled)† Many of the other challenges stated by Dr.  Mahathir in his Wawasan 2020 concept have been implemented through the 1Malaysia initiative. For example, the 1Clinic programme was implemented under the 1Malaysia initiative and goes in line with one of the challenges set by Dr. Mahathir, being, â€Å"Establishing a fully caring society†. 1Malaysia Clinics have been launched in several areas across Malaysia and provide basic medical services for illnesses and injuries such as fever, cough, colds, wounds and cuts, diabetes, and hypertension. Malaysia citizens are charged RM1 for treatment and medication. Non-citizens are charged RM15. There currently are 119 1Malaysia Clinics in Malaysia so far, and the Malaysian Ministry of Health is planning to increase this number to 175 by the end of 2012. (Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, The Star, September 2012) Malaysian Economics One of the important points in the Wawasan 2020 project is the 7% per annum growth over the 30-year period. If the targeted growth is reached within the planned timeframe, the Malaysian GDP or gross domestic product would increase from RM115 billion in 1990 to RM920 billion by 2020 (â€Å"The Way Forward†, Prime Minister’s Office, November 2008), in increase nearly by eight. Alongside, the population is estimated to have a slow increase to around 32 Million at an average of 1.9 percent per annum during the period. This wished-for increase in output and the slower expected growth of the population will result in the per capita income steadily rising from RM 6,180 to RM 26,100 by 2020- ranking Malaysia among one of the high income nations.

Questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 34

Questions - Assignment Example Examples of this knowledge obtained are records structures and routines. Tacit knowledge is exclude as it cannot be manipulated (Metaxiotis, 2010) 9) Intelligent decision support systems could improve the quality of medical care and reduce the cost of health care. After reading this chapter and other sources, answer this claim. What types of decisions will be improved by an IDSS in health care? The types of decision improved by an IDSS in healthcare are prescriptive and descriptive decision-making that are applied in rational decisions such as diagnostic, data collection, problem identification, and classification, as well as scanning procedures. Push technology is an internet based communication system that allows transaction request from a central web publisher. The two advantages are instant transmission of information with reliable and secure delivery and the efficient server connection to send contents providing end-to-end visibility (Metaxiotis, 2010). Metaxiotis, K. (2010). Intelligent information systems and knowledge management for energy: Applications for decision support, usage, and environmental protection. Hershey, PA: Information Science

Personal Statements Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Statements - Personal Statement Example In flight instruction, where evaluating and documenting risk can be real time or anticipated for the future, my ability to recognize and evaluate the risk at every conceivable instant allows me to complete each flight safely; in flight instruction, there is no room for errors. In real time, I evaluate and identify risks from the pre-flight briefing through the post-flight briefing of every lesson. By documenting the flight lesson in the student’s records, I anticipate potential risks that must be addressed until I am satisfied that the risk can be managed and mitigated by the student when I no longer unsupervised their development and risk management. This is a complicated process that requires I document flight lessons in both my and the student’s records to pinpoint dysfunctions and areas that require further evaluation and improvement. The goal that is achieved provides a viewfinder for identifying, and eliminating risk within program parameters. I also managed risk while flying freight. One risk that constantly required monitoring was icing potential. I would perform a pre-flight evaluation to review the route of flight. I would evaluate the weather using documented and approved sources, and I would evaluate the potential for icing. I would assess the type of aircraft required for the flight and based on these risk evaluations request the appropriate aircraft to control the risk. Simply stated, if I was going into icing, I would demand an aircraft useable for known icing. If the appropriate aircraft was not available, I would explain the risk involved with the flight, provide the information I had obtained while assessing the risk and explain how that risk would be mitigated by using appropriate equipment. I was never denied an aircraft after explaining my documented, risk-assessment evaluation. 2. In this text area, please provide a brief explanation of your

Bullying and School Essay Example for Free

Bullying and School Essay Bullying has become one of the most serious issues facing our schools today. We’ve all heard the sad tales of children, some as young as 11, committing suicide because they could no longer deal with the bullying they experienced in school. In July 2008, the U.S. Congress began work on legislation for H.R. 2262, the Safe School Improvement Act, which would require schools to collect data, establish disciplinary guidelines and develop a system for registering complaints to combat bullying in our schools. However, as school counselors we can’t wait for laws to be passed to take action. We need to make a difference now. I started my quest to stop bullying at Midway Elementary School in Midway, Utah, six years ago. I attended conferences, read books and studied various programs. I learned a lot about the statistics and issues but little about specifically what to do. So I began taking steps to develop a program that would help my school and others combat school bullying. In my search for knowledge I discovered a fascinating study by Dr. Kenneth Merrell from the University of Oregon on the effectiveness of school bullying intervention programs. The study results showed that bully intervention programs, especially those aimed specifically at bullies, were effective in raising the level of awareness among students and staff but did little to reduce bullying behaviors. Merrell, along with others, recommend a schoolwide comprehensive approach to bully prevention. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, programs cracking down on individual bullies rarely work, but when there is a sch oolwide commitment to end bullying, it can be reduced by up to 50 percent. Program Framework As my program evolved over the years I identified four hallmarks of a successful schoolwide bully prevention program. Lead to systemic change: Successful programs bring about systemic change. The factors contributing to bullying in any school environment are complex and nebulous. The only way to have an impact on these critical factors is to cast a wide net. There must be change at all levels in the school environment and in the community. You are literally changing the culture of the entire school. You need to utilize all existing programs and resources such as comprehensive school counseling programs, positive behavior interventions and supports, character education, the parent-teacher organization, schoolwide discipline programs, grade-level teams or professional learning communities and more. Garner commitment from all: Schoolwide bully prevention programs require commitment from all stakeholders. Although your school may have a small team to oversee the bully prevention program, collaboration among administrators, school counselors, teachers, students, parents, secretaries, custodians, lunch workers, librarians, bus drivers, etc. is essential for success. Teach comprehensive strategies and skills: Effective programs are comprehensive. Teaching students about specific issues related to bullying is only one aspect of an effective schoolwide program. There are many supporting concepts and social skills you also need to address, such as conflict resolution, tattling vs. reporting, respect, accepting differences, teasing, cliques, relational aggression, cooperation and more. Effective data analysis will help you identify many of these specific needs. Continue year after year: Many times schools will bring in a pre-packaged bully prevention program, have a big anti-bullying campaign, raise a lot of awareness and then call it good. Effective bully prevention programs are not a one-shot deal. Effective prevention programs are nonstop. They require intervention, data to assess the program’s effectiveness and components, and ongoing specific targeted interventions for bullies, their victims and the bystander population. Key Components Eight key components, best implemented sequentially, have led to the success of Midway Elementary’s bully prevention program. Administrative support: An extremely important aspect of starting a bully prevention program is soliciting the support of your school administrators. Without strong and effective leadership, systemic change is difficult. As leaders in the school, administrators should become experts on bullying issues. They should form a bully prevention team and identify a go-getter staff member to lead this team. The administrators need to develop an anti-bullying code of conduct and communicate it to all stakeholders, especially students. Most importantly, administrators should establish the tone and expectations for students and staff and outline clear and consistent consequences for students who violate the anti-bullying code of conduct. Consequences should be based on a level system for first and subsequent offenses. It is important to follow district guidelines when establishing the level system. School administrators should utilize a behavior referral system to provide valuable data. The behavior referral system should include specific information that will help provide meaningful data to identify areas of concern and needs. Administrators should involve parents of both victims and bullies, especially for repeat offenders, to discuss concerns, outline consequences and form a strategic plan to stop the bullying behaviors. Schoolwide positive behavior interventions and supports program: If your school doesn’t have a PBIS program, I would highly recommend implementing one. Use the PBIS program to establish clear schoolwide rules. The rules should be specific to location, taught to all students and posted throughout the school. Introduce desired behaviors, clearly teach them and then model them. Once you’ve taught the behaviors, reinforce student compliance using a variety of incentive programs. Use data to measure the effectiveness of your program and to identify ongoing areas of concern. Data: I use two types of data, behavioral referral data and surveys given to students, parents and staff. Data can provide baseline information, measure the effectiveness of your program, discover areas of concern and identify chronic bullies and their victims. Online surveys will help gather subjective data to assess stakeholders’ level of concern, to measure student awareness and knowledge, to solicit input from staff members and to assess parent perspectives and concerns. Office behavior referral data provide objective data for analysis. Behavior referral forms or systems should include information directly related to bullying. By regularly reviewing these data, you can identify types of bullying, locations, repeat offenders and victims. Upon identifying specific problems, bully prevention team members should develop a plan of action to deal with the issues. Staff training: All staff members should receive training to include definitions of bullying, types of bullying, effects of bullying on victims, school code of conduct and expectations, legal liability based on state law and, most importantly, how to intervene when they witness bullying incidents or a student reports it to them. Make sure your staff training includes teachers, administrators, specialists, secretaries, lunch staff, custodians, aides and bus drivers. Student awareness and education: Give all students a basic introductory lesson including definitions for bullying, types of bullying with examples, school code of conduct and expectations, what to do when they are bullied or how to help others as bystanders. Students need to learn about the importance of speaking up and supporting each other with the skills they learn. Establish a common language for discussing bullying issues, and post it in every classroom and in key locations throughout the school. Critical social skills training: Once you’ve taught them the basics, students need additional information and skills to increase their level of awareness and to deal with bullying issues. At Midway Elementary, we’ve spent time on topics such as tattling vs. reporting, conflict resolution, teasing, relational aggression/cliques, cooperation, caring, respect and any other topics that come out of the stakeholder surveys or behavior referral data. Develop classroom guidance lessons to specifically address these needs, and teach students the skills and knowledge necessary to reduce the problem. Targeted interventions for bullies and victims: Data analysis will help you identify chronic bullies and their victims. These students most likely will need highly targeted interventions and supports. When it comes to intervention for bullies there is no silver bullet. The factors contributing to the reasons why children bully others are complex and often almost impossible to identify. Research also suggests that interventions such as out-of-school suspension, peer mediation and group counseling for bullies aren’t effective. Effective interventions include individual counseling/education on issues such as developing empathy; perspective taking; social skills training; anger management; conflict resolution; and identification of psychological disorders such as ADHD, depression and anxiety. Teaching bullies pro-social leadership roles and opportunities for self-competence and success may also be useful. Behavioral strategies such as behavior contracts, check-in/check-out programs, parent meetings, etc. may also be required to facilitate change. It is also important to provide intervention for repeat victims, especially chronic victims. Interventions may include providing an adult advocate, individual or group counseling, social skills training, peer support, structured recess, etc. You may need to refer some students to outside help for more therapeutic interventions to address self-esteem issues, depression and anxiety. Program generalization: Once you’ve taught pro-social behaviors in the classroom, you need to generalize these newly acquired behaviors to various conditions and situations. An effective PBIS program is a great way to teach, model and reinforce desired behaviors. Give appropriate incentives to students who demonstrate the desired behaviors along with verbal praise providing specific examples of why the student is being rewarded. Other program generalization ideas may include: * Posters placed in key locations throughout the school to remind students and staff about the bullying code of conduct and a schoolwide common language. * Buttons worn by both students and staff as a symbol of the school’s commitment to stop bullying. * Student â€Å"spotlight† programs to celebrate students who are positive role models. * Assemblies and student pledges to kick off the school year and to promote school commitment or unity. * Parent and community education via parent/teacher conferences, parent newsletters, school Web sites, community newspaper articles, PTA and community council meetings. School bullying and hazing issues are complex and multifaceted. They require a comprehensive approach to increase the probability of addressing many of the contributing factors. School counselors are in a unique position to promote a comprehensive approach because of their training and expertise in the social and emotional wellness of children and adolescents. School counselors who are trained in the ASCA National Model are familiar with the use of data to drive programs and the delivery of interventions. School counselors understand the importance of early intervention and prevention to promote positive outcomes in behavior and academics. Systemic change requires leadership and, as John Quincy Adams said, â€Å"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.† Parents can play a central role to preventing bullying and stopping it when it happens. Here are a few things you can do. * Teach kids to solve problems without using violence and praise them when they do. * Give children positive feedback when they behave well to help their build self-esteem. Help give them the self-confidence to stand up for what they believe in. * Ask your children about their day and listen to them talk about school, social events, their classmates, and any problems they have. * Take bullying seriously. Many kids are embarrassed to say they have been bullied. You may only have one chance to step in and help. * If you see any bullying, stop it right away, even if your child is the one doing the bullying. * Encourage your child to help others who need it. * Dont bully your children or bully others in front of them. Many times kids who are bullied at home reactby bullying other kids. If your children see you hit, ridicule, or gossip about someone else, they are also more likely to do so themselves. * Support bully prevention programs in your childs school. If your school doesnt have one, consider starting one with other parents, teachers, and concerned adults. When Your Child Is Bullied Many kids are embarrassed to be bullied and may not tell their parents or another adult right away. If your child comes to you and asks for help with a bully, take it seriously. Many times, if kids arent taken seriously the first time they ask for help, they dont ask again. Even if your child doesnt turn to you for help, you can watch for these warning signs that he or she is being bullied. Kids who are bullied often experience * Withdrawal * A loss of friends * A drop in grades * A loss of interest in activities he or she previously enjoyed * Torn clothing * Bruises * A need for extra money or supplies If you think your child is being bullied or if your child has told you that he or she is being bullied, you can help. Parents are often the best resource to build a childs self-confidence and teach him or her how to best solve problems. Here are a few ways you can help * Talk to your childs teacher about it instead of confronting the bullys parents. If the teacher doesnt act to stop the bullying, talk to the principal. * Teach your child nonviolent ways to deal with bullies, like walking away, playing with friends, or talking it out. * Help your child act with self-confidence. With him or her, practice walking upright, looking people inthe eye, and speaking clearly. * Dont encourage your child to fight. This could lead to him or her getting hurt, getting in trouble, and beginning more serious problems with the bully. * Involve your child in activities outside of school. This way he or she can make friends in a different social circle. Some children seem to be bullied all the time, while others rarely get picked on. Why do some kids seem to attract all of the bullies? Kids who are bullied often * Are different from other kids, whether by size, race, sexually, or have different interests * Seem weak, either physically or emotionally * Are insecure * Want approval * Wont tell on their bullies When Your Child Is a Bully Its hard for any parent to believe that their child is a bully, but sometimes it happens. But just because your child bullies doesnt mean that he or she will bully forever. Parents are one of the best resources to help their child stop bullying and start interacting positively with their classmates. Your child may bully if, he or she * Lacks empathy and doesnt sympathize with others * Values aggression * Likes to be in charge * Is an arrogant winner and a sore loser * Often fights often with brothers and sisters * Is impulsive What you can do to stop your child from bullying * Take it seriously. Dont treat bullying as a passing phase. Even if youre not worried about long-lasting effects on your child, another child is being hurt. * Talk to your child to find out why he or she is bullying. Often, children bully when they feel sad, angry, lonely, or insecure and many times major changes at home or school may bring on these feelings. * Help build empathy for others and talk to your child about how it feels to be bullied. * Ask a teacher or a school counselor if your child is facing any problems at school, such as if your child is struggling with a particular subject or has difficulty making friends. Ask them for advice on how you and your child can work through the problem. * Ask yourself if someone at home is bullying your child. Often, kids who bully are bullied themselvesby a parent, family member, or another adult. http://www.ncpc.org/topics/bullying/what-parents-can-do How can parents help to prevent bullying at their childs school? * Talk with and listen to your kids every day. Research shows that approximately half the children who have been bullied never tell their parents about it. Children are often too ashamed of themselves to tell anyone; sometimes they feel that no one can help, not even their parents.1 * Spend time at school and recess. Research shows that 67% of bullying happens when adults are not present. Whether you can volunteer once a week or once a month, you can make a real difference just by showing up. * Be a good example of kindness and leadership. Your kids learn a lot about power relationships from watching you. Any time you speak to another person in a hurtful or abusive way, you’re teaching your child that bullying is ok. * Learn the signs. If you suspect that your child might be bullied, talk with your child’s teacher or find ways to observe his or her peer interactions to determine whether or not your suspicions might be correct. * Create healthy anti-bullying habits early. Help develop anti-bullying and anti-victimization habits early in your children, as early as kindergarten. Coach your children what not to do hitting, pushing, teasing, being mean to others. Equally if not more importantly, teach your children what to do kindness, empathy, fair play, and turn-taking are critical skills for good peer relations. * Help your child’s school address bullying effectively. Whether your children have been bullied or not, you should know what their school is doing to address bullying. Research shows that â€Å"zero-tolerance† policies aren’t effective. What works better are ongoing educational programs that help create a healthy social climate in the school. * Establish household rules about bullying. Your children need to hear from you explicitly that it’s not normal, okay, or tolerable for them to bully, to be bullied, or to stand by and watch other kids be bullied. If your child is bullying, you can help him or her find other ways to exert their personal power, status, and leadership at school. Work with your child, his or her teachers, and the principal to implement a kindness plan at school. * Teach your child how to be a good witness. Children can often effectively diffuse a bullying situation by yelling â€Å"Stop! You’re bullying!† Must bullies stop within 10 seconds when someone tells him or her to stop. * Spread the word that bullying should not be a normal part of childhood. Some adults hesitate to act when they observe or hear about bullying because they think of bullying as a typical phase of childhood that must be endured. It is important for everyone to understand that all forms of bullying physical, verbal, social (gossip, rumors, exclusion from the group), and cyberbullying are NOT a normal part of childhood. * Adults (teachers and parent volunteers) in the classroom should be aware of class social structures. Which children typically affiliate together? Which children are leaders and socially influential? Which children are socially marginalized? Purposefully pairing and grouping children so that children who bully and those who are victims can work together helps to prevent bullying outside the classroom.