Media and the Child

Magazines, radio, movie, billboards, internet and television, these are all part of a little thing called media. Media can be found in every little aspect of life. Although media allows us to connect to anyone in the world, it can cause problems for our children. According to the New York Times, “Media has a variety of negative health impacts on children and teens.” Children and young adult spend thousands upon thousands of hours each year just watching television, movies, even looking threw magazines. But sadly this is unhealthy for them to do. Small children and young adults can suffer both long term and short term problems because of to much exposure to mass media, and in the end it is up to the parent to stop this from occurrence.

Saturday morning cartoons, these are cartoons generated just for children to give them something to do on a long Saturday morning. However spending too much time in front of the television is negative for a child. According to the Neuro Psychiatry Reviews, “Researchers have found that television exposure in children ages 1 to 3 is associated with attention problems at age 7” (Strong). Attention problems can range from Attention Deficit disorder (ADD), Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), to just having a hard time paying attention to what is going on in the classroom. Although excessive amount of television watching is not a direct cause of these attention problems, there is a strong correlation between the two. This correlation is not only found in young children, but in order children as well. “Furthermore, the investigators concluded that each hour of television watched per day increases these children’s risk of attention problems, such as attention- deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), by almost 10% at age 7” (Strong). Children that spend their majority at home time in front of the television are prone to having attention problems later on in life. The attention problems can lead to problems learning in school, and in turn can cause them to fall behind in class, if not treated. The best thing to do for the child is to turn off the television and spend some personal time with them. This can cause a stronger relationship between the parent and child, as well as helping them develop key skills they needs for adulthood.


The negative effects of television continue long into adolescences. Media gives adolescences a false sense of what they should look like. “The implication of childhood exposure to the mass media, which portrays these particular images of body size and shape, are concerning as there is an increase probability of the child becoming discontent with his or her body if his or her appearance differs from the so-called norm” (Lawrie). Media glamorizes beauty, and this beauty is unreachable for adolescence. Adolescences in turn ends up having a negative image of their body, and feel that in order to be happy or beautiful they must reach these unnecessary standards. Because of this there are a high number of adolescence having eating disorders. “Boys and girls aged 9 to 14 years showed that children who were trying to imitate the appearance of same sex media personalities were more likely to develop weight concerns and become constant dieters” (Lawrie). These individuals are dieting at the age of 9 to 14 in order to fulfill a body image that is unreachable. These dieting practices can lead to health problems later in life, as well as the individual having a negative body image long into adulthood.

The best thing for children, no matter the age, is for them is to turn off the television, and participate in other fulfilling activities. More interaction between the adult and the child is always greatly appreciated by the child. Along with this appreciation, a strong bond is created, and this will always be beneficial in life. As the child gets older and into their adolescence years, the parent one must talk to their child about the realistic body image. But engaging with the child about the topic, the adolescence can build confidence and acceptance about themselves. All in all, the best thing for children and adolescence is spending time with the parent, either discussing issue regarding media or partaking in other fulfilling activities. This time will be long lasting and rewarding for both of the involved.

Resources

Lawrie,Z. Sullivan, E. A.Davies,P.S. W. Hill R.J. “Media Influence on the Body Image of Children and Adolescents.” Eating Disorders, 14:355-364. 2006. Taylor and Francis Group.

Stelter,Brian. “Report Ties Children’s Use of Media to Their Health.” Dec 2 2008. New York Times. www.nytimes.com

Strong, Colby. “Is Excessive Television Viewing in Children Linked to ADHD?” Neuro Psychiatry Reviews. www.neuropsychiatryreviews.com/may04/npr_may04_excessiveTV.html

Troubled Youth

Gangs can be found in every culture or race. According to NCJS (National Criminal Justice Reference Service) there are over 24,500 gangs alone in the United States. Gangs are considered to be a group of 3 or more individuals that come together and share a common identity. Surprisingly gangs appeal to juveniles and this has been an on going problem for many years. “Youth groups known as gangs are certainly not inventions of twentieth century American society, for such groups have existed since at least the early fourteenth and fifteenth centuries in Europe” (Shelden) In the twentieth century the major reason for juveniles to join gangs is due to child maltreatment, and its up to the community to help put a stop to these gangs.

As talked about earlier maltreatment causes the juvenile to partake in criminal behavior, in some cases this behavior leads too much more then just delinquency. The maltreatment of juvenile is another major reason why juveniles turn to gangs. The book entitled “Youth Gangs in American Society” states “Studies have shown that gang members have plenty of experience with violence while growing up. Such youths have seen and been victimized by violence in their homes and in their communities.” Juveniles that are used to being victimized in their home, now feel comfortable with violence in their everyday life. Youth gangs are known for thier violence that they cause, maltreatment in the home predisposes juveniles to the violence that they will encounter in gangs. This causes the juvenile to not raise objections to the violence that occurs in gangs. “Gang youths accepted violence as the normal and appropriate way to resolve minor and major disputes. These youths have come to believe that there is no nonviolent method for dealing with daily disputes and other problems in life” (Shelden). Gang members use violence to resolve issues not only between members, but between other gangs as well. This is a normal occurrence for these juveniles, thus juveniles do not resist this aspect of gang life.

Violence is a big part of gang life and the gang environment, juveniles the spawn from maltreated homes don’t question this behavior. But what makes these juveniles create their final decision and jump into gangs? According to the Shelden there are several different items that help in this decision making, again all of these can be linked back to child maltreatment. The first one is that of material reason, juveniles feel that joining gangs increases their finical chances. Unfortunately this is finical gain is threw criminal activities. Most juveniles that partake in gangs come from a low income or single parent home. In many cause this leads to the neglecting of the juvenile. Once the juvenile understands that they are in a low income home, they will strive to obtain finical stability that is not provided for them. This comes easily to gang members because of the criminal behavior that they participate in. Next is recreation, when gangs provide juveniles with something to do once again can be linked back to neglect. Juveniles need to be entertained, with parents that are not around for their children, these children have little guidance and little activities to keep them busy, gangs provided them with this entertainment. A place of refuge and camouflage is next up on our list. Gangs provide their members protection and identity. Again going back to that neglected juvenile, gangs provided the juvenile with a sense of identity, that could have other wised be found in the home. Physical protection is a major part of juveniles becoming gang affiliated. In low income neighborhoods crime can be found almost everywhere. This includes crime against individuals, such as robbery or even car jacking. Gang member normally unite in groups, this group gives a single individual protection from these personal crimes. Subsequently gangs can be seen as a way of resistance. Children in maltreated homes despise their parents, thus they will do what they can to avoid becoming like them. Some feel that gangs are an opportunity to resist becoming like their parents. This can be linked to the first financial gain, juveniles feel that with better finances they will be able to further or better themselves, far more then their parents.

Juvenile gangs and gang affiliation is just one more detrimental effect of child maltreatment. Neglect is the one key maltreatment that is echoed threw juveniles gang involvement. As a community it is up to us to help these juveniles. One major way for this is after school programs, “or a safe structured activities that convene regularly in the hours after school and offer activities to help children lean new skills, and develop into responsible adults” (Youth). These programs can lead children to be accountable, either to the program or to the adults that may work there. The parenting style normally affiliated with child neglect is the uninvolved parent, again this parenting style cause the child to lack accountability and responsibilities. After school programs are just one way to help put these back into place.

Resources

National Criminal Justice Reference Service. “OJJDP Fact Sheet.” Feb 2004 http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/fs200204.pdf

Shelden,Randall. Tracy,Sharon.Brown,William. Youth Gangs in American Society. Thomson Wadsworth. United States. 2004

Youth Violence Prevention. “After school Programs Fact Sheet.” ttp://www.safeyouth.org/scripts/facts/afterschool.asp

Sentencing Juveniles

Sentencing and jail expense has been a long hard topic for not only California but for the US in general. One major debate is the cost of incarceration. California is no stranger to this, they have even looked at the release of non violent offenders. But what most fails to recognize is that juvenile detention centers fall into the expense of incarceration. According to ABC news there are nearly 100,000 kids in the America’s juvenile system. States such as Texas, Florida, Michigan, New York and California have outsourced this duty the main company taking charge of this duty, Wackenhut Corrections Corporation. Although this is maybe cost effect for the state, this is nothing more but damaging the juveniles that are inside it. Juveniles need much more then just a babysitting facility, they need to be rehabilitated so they can become a healthy member of society.

Many juvenile correction centers are outsourced to large companies. Wackenhut Correction Corporation possesses about 18 of these juvenile centers. Wackenhut calms to be “the leading provider of quality, customer focused security solution in the United States.” Wackenhut also goes on to state they have “earned an excellent reputation over the years because of the integrity and professionalism of its corporate, regional and local operations.” But how true are these statements? According to CBS news these statements are completely false. These faculties are unhealthy and detrimental for the juvenile. CBS took and interest into the Wackenhut Corrections Corporation. It went behind the slogans, and logos, and interviewed the juveniles that lived behind bars. One major problem is said to be the faculties’ employees. “Most guards have no experience. Often Wackenhut didn’t check their backgrounds. Some guards hired for Jena [juvenile center] had Criminal records.” At juvenile centers juveniles are incarcerated, just like adults. With adult faculties the officers and guards that work at there must have full background investigation done. This background ensures that there is a standard to who is in control. When a private company takes on the job the state normally regulates, standardized policies may go out the door. With lack of policies and regulations, criminal activity can occur. CBS also went on to report that guards were witnesses smoking marijuana and partaking in sex with inmates. A juvenile center’s main purpose is rehabilitation, if guards are allowing juveniles to still continue partaking in criminal behavior, then nothing is being accomplished from these centers.

But CBS news is not the only one who has voiced the concerns for the juvenile inmates. In 2000 CNN took up interested in Wackenhut as well. In their article one former inmate states that the detention centers are “horrific physical and mental abuse.” A correction facility in general should never be abusive. But for juveniles, abuse can be harmful to their rehabilitation processes. Most of the time the juveniles that commit crime, are the juveniles that have experienced abuse in their homes. For a correction facility to be abusive, this is reinforcing this behavior on the juveniles. The article also goes on to report that Wackenhut Corrections Corporation juvenile facility is abusing and neglecting the juveniles. Again both abuse and neglect are part of maltreatment, this is just reinforcing negative behavior into our juveniles.

The main reason for juvenile detention centers should be to rehabilitate our juveniles. This gives the juveniles a chance to go out into the world and become a healthier person. Although outsourcing juvenile detention centers is cost effective to the state, this is not working for our juveniles. Missouri on the other hand has a great view for juvenile detention centers. At Waverly Regional Youth Center juveniles are “divided into small teams and undergo constant group therapy and emotional self-examination” (Diaz). This therapy gives juveniles exactly what they need, a way to work threw their emotional problems that are causing them to be delinquent. This should be a mold for all other detention centers. Missouri has reported that only 10 percent of their juveniles that go threw this correction facility will end up in an adult prison within three years of release. On the other hand in other states this number is nearly 40 percent. Since abuse and maltreatment are the leading causes of juveniles offenders, these programs help juveniles to work threw these issues, and in turn is the key for them to become successful.

Juvenile’s detention centers should be more then just a babysitting program, they should be able to rehabilitate the juvenile. By doing that juveniles are given the option to go back into society and become a better, non criminal, person. Outsourcing juvenile correction centers does help the state with the finical crises that it is under. Wackenhut Corrections Corporation holds the contract of juvenile detention centers, but with numerous lawsuits and no rehabilitation program in place, these facilities are detrimental to our juvenile population. Juvenile detention centers should stay with the state, just as any other correctional facility. In addition to this, mandatory therapy and counseling sections should be in place for juveniles. The effects of theses programs are apparent, and to have our juveniles become successful in society they need to be done.

Resources
Diaz, Joseph. “Justice Department Missouri Sets New Standard for Juvenile Detention Innovative Facilities for Kid Criminals Are Short on Guards and Long on Hugs.” ABC News Primetime. Sept 6 2009. http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/missouri-sets-standard-juvenile-detention/story?id=8510425

CBS News. “Locked Inside A Nightmare One Inmate Says She Was Raped Repeatedly.” May 2000. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2000/05/09/60II/main193636.shtml

CNN. “Justice Department sues over conditions at Louisiana juvenile center.” March 30, 2000. http://archives.cnn.com/2000/US/03/30/dangerous.jail/index.html

Wackenhut. “About Wackenhut.” http://www.g4s.com/