Juvenile Delinquents are especially disadvantaged in times of Disaster Bridgette Smith Dr. Susan Eve Honor’s College Mentor : Dr. Sudha Arlikatti, Department of Public Administration College of Public Affairs and Community Service

CONTENTS I. Source Guide II. Research Questions III. Literature Review IV. Proposed Methodology V. Future Plans VI. Conclusions VII. Reference VIII. Acknowledgments

Source Guide: Juvenile Delinquency: ◦ conduct by a juvenile characterized by antisocial behavior that is beyond parental control and therefore subject to legal action ◦ Or, a violation of the law committed by a juvenile and not punishable by death or life imprisonment Merriam-Webster Dictionary Special needs population ◦ those whose members may have additional needs before, during, and after an incident in functional areas. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, & Federal Agency of Emergency Management (FEMA)

Research Questions How prone to special risks are children ( 18 years and younger) in times of disaster? How is this further exacerbated with children who are classified as juvenile delinquents? How prepared is the juvenile justice system for disasters? What are the implications for being underprepared? What are the resources available for juvenile delinquents in times of disaster?

Literature Review More than 70 million Americans—about 1 in 4—are younger than 18, the age group commonly referred to as juveniles. This age group has increased consistently since the mid- 1980s and is projected to continue increasing until at least Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2009 Federal law does not require juvenile justice systems to develop and implement disaster plans. National Commission on Children and Disasters, 2010 Court systems failed when important documents and record were lost and there was a major discontinuity of normal court operations. Outdated communications systems and poor technology use of records heavily plays into this. Andrews & Yeres, 2006

Factors which contribute to Juvenile Delinquency Economic, Social, and Community Factors Family Related Factors Peer Related Factors School Related Factors Additional Factors Socio- economic Instability Low Levels of Parental Involvement Gang Involvement/ Membership Academic Failure Urbanization PovertyDysfunctional Family Settings Delinquent Siblings Low Bonding to School Broken System of Cultural Norms Exposure to Violence Parent-child Separation Delinquent Peers Truancy and dropping out of school The Media Community Disorganization Influence of Adult Offenders Negative Advancement of Hierarchy Frequent School Transitions Migration

Vulnerabilities of Children in Disasters Psychological Vulnerability Physical Vulnerability Educational Vulnerability PTSD Depression Anxiety Emotional distress Sleep disorders Somatic complaints Behavioral problems Death Injury Illness and disease Malnutrition Heat stress Physical and sexual abuse Missed school Poor academic performance Delayed progress Failure to complete education

Implications of Juvenile Delinquents in Disasters No federal law mandating that juvenile facilities have disaster plans implemented (poor legislation and policies) Failed court systems Lack of adequate evacuation and sheltering plans Lack of resources Higher rates of mental health issues which can lead to worsening behavioral problems

Proposed Methodology Assessment/ Survey of staff in juvenile delinquent facilities. Questionnaire for emergency manager. Questionnaire for person with a background in emergency management. Sample Selection. Survey Design

Future Plans Survey staff of juvenile facilities and emergency managers. Continue research in policies and legislation in other states in comparison to Texas for juvenile delinquents and their facilities. Continue research in other gaps in resources that exist for juvenile delinquents in times of disaster.

Conclusions Lack of policies/ procedures regarding what should be done with/for juvenile delinquents in times of disaster Lack of resources for juvenile delinquents in times of disaster Loose, if any, enforcement of laws regarding juvenile delinquents in times of disaster. Even with recommendations to the President and Congress as well as the slight amount of research done on juvenile delinquents in times of disasters, little has been done to alleviate the special risks they incur. As disasters continue to take place and this population continues to grow, more research is needed to address these issues.

References Hawkins, J. D., Herrenkohl, T. I., Farrington, D. P., Brewer, D., Catalano, R. F., Catalano, T. W., & Cothern,L. (2000). Predictors of Youth Violence. Juvenile Justice Bulletin, 1-9. Retrieved from United Nations (2003). Juvenile Delinquency. World Youth Report, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (USDOJ). (2009). Statistical briefing book: Juvenile population characteristics. Retrieved June 29, 2009 from: Merriam-Webster (2012). Juvenile Delinquency. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved March 27, 2012, from Peek, L. (2008). Children and Disasters: Understanding Vulnerability, Developing Capacities, and Resilience -- An Introduction. Children, Youth & Environments, 18(1), U.S. Department of Homeland Security, & Federal Agency of Emergency Management (FEMA) (n.d.). Glossary/Acronyms. FEMA. Retrieved March 12, 2012, from National Commission on Children and Disasters Report to the President and Congress. AHRQ Publication No. 10-M037, October Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. Andrews, Susan James., Yeres, Susan., (2006) An Assessment of the Impact of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita on the Juvenile Justice System. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

Acknowledgments A special thanks to: ◦ Dr. Susan Eve, Honors College ◦ Dr. Sudha Arlikatti, College of Public Affairs and Community Service