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Essay / Policies for the prevention of juvenile violence - 615
Death is a constant in all living organisms. An individual might try to avoid it; however, death will overtake him. Young people will inherit the world of adults. It is necessary for society to raise these young people; However, former Princeton professor John Dilulio's super-predator theory sparked a moral panic and public fear of juveniles. School officials began targeting schools with large minority populations, turning them into prison environments. Schools began punishing students outside of the standards set by school officials. Current policy criminalizes young people, prevents them from succeeding and has triggered a rise in youth violence. Youth violence prevention policies reflect key points of the broken windows theory. The theory stated that when authorities did not detect hooligan behavior in time, it would continue and gradually evolve into heinous acts (Lorenz, 2010). The Broken Windows Theory viewed young people as unrestrained animals, only punishment could end their criminal rampage. This theory led to Dilulio's super-predator theory, according to which juvenile delinquents would transform into criminal masterminds when they grew up (Dilulio, 1995). This started the movement to combat juvenile delinquency and punish children earlier. Although he recanted in 2001 (Becker, 2001), moral panic over youth violence began. Initially, parents largely supported the implementation of the zero tolerance policy in schools. Most of the policy began as a way to harshly punish students who brought weapons to school (Skiba, 2013). However, the policy has changed to require schools to punish a wide range of student behavior, with no room for leniency. School officials and resource officers continue to criminalize minors at school. Schools in poor and minority neighborhoods have installed security cameras and metal detectors. Resource officers at the entrances search students' backpacks for contraband. The effects of implementing these changes have had a negative impact on students. Theriot's research has shown that schools located in economically disadvantaged areas have a higher percentage of minority students. They are also more likely to have on-campus resource officers than at schools with a low percentage of minority students. Schools with police resources have an arrest rate up to 25% higher than schools without (Theriot, 2009). Campus resource officers target minority students. Schools began disciplining students through the court system by criminalizing them. In Victor Rios' study, he witnessed the constant harassment of minority boys in Oakland by police and teachers..