The Disproportionate Overrepresentation of Minority Youth in ...

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some youth are believed to be turning to activities such as drug dealing as a means of
obtaining material things they want and feel they deserve (e.g., a nice car, nice clothes,
and house). “What teenager wants to go out and get a job at Burger King making $4/hour
when they can stand on a street corner and sell crack for $350/hour.” Thus, this
perception is consistent with the view that youth choose to engage in delinquency.
Accordingly, it is perceived that money becomes available to youth who engage in drug
dealing. As a consequence, immediate gratification is rewarded over patience and
hardwork.
Family
Family and educational issues were also mentioned in the interviews quite
frequently. Strong emotions were exhibited by the juvenile court officers concerning the
effects these institutions have on either causing or deterring a child from becoming
involved in delinquency.
Juvenile court officers feel that family values are not stressed. In fact, the
perception is that parents are not teaching good values to their children.
We appear to have more families than we used to that spend less time
together and are less interested in each other’s activities and encourage
each other less, especially parent and child, and they are out doing things
that aren’t directly related to family cohesiveness and togetherness and
family identity.
Parents are also seen as less involved with their children’s lives and not instilling
the drive or the will to succeed. This is especially seen in the school setting. “The school
isn’t