Trends in Juvenile Justice

A peer-reviewed research article is difficult to analyze, especially when it is by a professional in the world of law enforcement. The article I chose is "TRENDS IN JUVENILE VIOLENCE," A Report to the United States Attorney General on Current and Future Rates of Juvenile Offending, by James Alan Fox, Ph.D.; Dean, College of Criminal Justice; Northeastern University. He wrote the journal for the United States Attorney General, Janet Reno, for determining the increase or decrease of juvenile offenses today and in the future. Before I start the research Fox has provided, I want to say something a little about Fox himself.

"James Alan Fox is Dean and Professor of the College of Criminal Justice at Northeastern University in Boston. He holds a B.A. in Sociology, an M.A. in Criminology, an M.A. in Statistics, and a Ph.D. in Sociology, from the University of Pennsylvania. He has published 12 books, including Mass Murder: America's Growing Menace, How to Work with the Media, and Overkill: Mass Murder and Serial Killing Exposed, and Killer on Campus (forthcoming). He has also published dozens of journal and magazine articles and newspaper columns, primarily in the areas of multiple murder, juvenile crime, workplace violence, and capital punishment. As an authority on homicide, he appears regularly on television and radio programs around the country, including 48 Hours, 20/20, The Today Show, all network newscasts, and is frequently interviewed by the national press. He was also profiled in a two-part cover story in USA Today. Finally, Fox often gives lectures and expert testimony, including several appearances before the United States Congress." (Fox, 1996)

Alan Fox's journal leads me to believe that the United States Attorney General, Janet Reno, was very concerned about who, what, and where crimes of juveniles occurred. The Attorney General, Janet Reno, also wanted to know; what was the difference between the races, status, and family situations between these juveniles. Janet Reno, wanted to know the difference between the races, the class status, and family situations. She wanted to see if there was one or the other that was a big influence on the juveniles. She was concerned there was one main issue that drove these juveniles to a life of crime. Janet Reno seemed very concerned about the youth and crime in the United States and where it may be heading. Fox was selected to do this research because of his experience in homicide and his superior journals on the subject. AAlan Fox used quantitative and qualitative research to do his report for the United States Attorney General, Janet Reno.

Alan Fox mainly used quantitative research to show the number of offensives among teenagers. He also included the age groups as well as the sex and race of the offenders. His study showed that there was an increase in murders committed by males but the female murder rate did not increase. The numbers between races, ages, sexes, and demographics, show that it is not just one certain group but all of these groups have a hand in these types of crimes. In his qualitative research he compared handguns to other type guns, whether the juveniles had parental control, whether the crime was committed against a family member or a stranger, and finally the circumstances for the crime. Each of these is very important to the study as well as the sex, age, race, location, and the victims of the crime.

At the beginning of the research Mr. Fox had a general reasoning, "The primary theme of this briefing was the extent to which rates of juvenile homicide and other violent offenses by youth are rising and can be expected to increase further in the years ahead." (Fox, 1996) He started with the statement in mind that all teenage homicide defenders, whether they be male or female or black or white. He did not know what his findings would be. He found out that there is a decrease in the homicide rate over all not matter what age group might be in but that was deceptive. This statement is a deductive logic because it is a statement. This statement does not data to back it up. This is true that the homicide rate had made a decrease over all, but with the adults over age 25 the homicide rate had an 18% decrease although the opposite is an increase for the ages under 25. Today this information is being entered in computer systems, the Uniform Crime Reporting used inductive logic assuming it was fact, when in the truth of it all, it was not.

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