Sociology & You

Chapter 7: Deviance and Social Control

Student Web Activites

"History of Juvenile Justice"

Introduction
In this chapter you learned about different types and degrees of deviance as well as the methods society employs to control the social behavior of its people. One type of crime that has gained more and more attention in recent years is juvenile crime. Many people are concerned by the increase in juvenile delinquent behavior. In this activity you will visit some Web sites that take a closer look at the history of the juvenile justice system.

Web sites
National Criminal Justice Reference Service
Browse through this Web site to read about the history of the juvenile justice system.

Juvenile Justice
Should teens who commit serious crimes be tried and sentenced as children or adults? Read through this PBS Web site to see how juvenile cases are treated in our criminal justice system. Make sure to click through all of the sections.

Note: Clicking on the link above will launch a new browser window. Need help using your browser for this activity? Click here for tips.

Activity
"Zero tolerance" is a policy that has been adopted by many schools in recent years, and it means that a school will automatically and severely punish a student for a variety of infractions, without exception. Some people believe that zero tolerance is unfair and results in unintended consequences. Imagine that you are to participate in a debate on zero tolerance policies in schools. Conduct some research to find out more about zero tolerance and compile a list of arguments either for or against the policy, including data or evidence supporting your position. Write up a one– or two–page report of your arguments and findings and, if time permits, divide as a class into two groups and conduct the debate.

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