Archive for December, 2011


Criminal justice careers have many different spreads. These security specialists are the ones that help to keep the streets clear of perps, pedophiles, narcotics, and gangs. It is an important and dedicated job of the person who is involved in criminal justice to make sure that the safety and secure life we know and love stays in tact.

Special victims units, juvenile defenders, and even homicide detectives are specially trained in many different things. One thing they have in common is children and adolescents. They work to understand that these little guys not only have our undivided attention, but the ones that are criminals are properly associated with. Forensic psychologists are especially important with juveniles as they must know and continue to learn how and what these children are and why they do what they do.

One of the big things to understand is child psychology and child development. Knowing where a child is supposed to be at a certain age versus where they actually are can make a difference in a case. The world of difference between a child who has been abused and one who has not is massive, and many times these delinquents that are seen are victims along with perpetrators.

Mental disorders in children is more common than what many detectives realize before they book a juvenile. These, including pervasive development disorders, are some of the causes behind why kids are the way they are. Some children are controlled by medications, while others are controlled by intensive therapy.

Finding out who the kids are and where they come from is another key aspect. Statistics show that children from families in poverty are more apt to become registered criminals than those in higher income families. At the same time, neglect and abuse is equally found on both sides of the line. Knowing these facts of the child and their family can make the difference in how a juvenile is prosecuted, defended, and charged in general.

Keep up to date with all of the information on juveniles today. Medical research and more develop data that is increasingly provided as proof in the defense of a child. Each day, another statistic is proven, added or subtracted. It is up to the criminal justice officer to make sure they are knowledgeable of all the facts first.

As a juvenile delinquent, some kids are aware of what they are doing, while others belong in a different class. These children and teens are classified by certain mental and social disorders. It is important for all officers to understand the psychiatric dysfunction that can appear in children from the time they are counted as juveniles, no matter what the crime is.

Even probation officer requirements include the study of some psychiatric development in humans. Children who have been properly diagnosed can be easier to spot. However, there are some that can be hard to find, exclude, or even notice. Children who are abused show significant signs of the abuse, especially if it has been a long time of their lives. Though the signs may not be physical, signs in abuse victims are hyperactivity, physical and verbal violence towards others, and even self inflicted “accidents.” Younger children can be difficult to work with because they are not able to properly tell someone what is going on.

Other children can show signs of social or mental disorders that have nothing to do with abuse from the home. Schizophrenia, though stemmed in six different categories, is not always easy to spot. Some children are pathological liars, going to the point that they believe the lies that they are telling to be as completely true as snow is white when it falls. Anorexia, bulimia, and other eating disorders can lead to a dysfunction in routine, along with leading to serious offenses due to lack of nutrition in one’s diet.

Some social disorders develop at such an early age that there is no control over them. These would include autism and social learning disabilities. ADD and ADHD are two other social cognitive disorders, making these children act out their aggression due to inability to express feelings in societal appropriate manner. Children with these cognitive disorders tend to look for acceptance, and many times, crime is what finds them and accepts them as they are.

Keeping in check with updated versions of medications, findings on medical disorders, and regular updated training can help all officers who work in this field. Questions for psychiatrists from officers can help to understand these disorders more, and student questions can help to develop a better ruling of how to prosecute juvenile delinquents.