HSCO 321 Juvenile Offending Prevention and Intervention

This course explores the causes of juvenile offending and the social and psychological factors involved in the predictive studies and theories concerning the development of delinquency and the intervention processes. Topics also include formation of youth gangs; methods of coping with gang activity; school violence; the types of crimes committed by children and youth; mental health issues; narcotics problems; neglected and dependent children, the youthful offender and wayward minor, the operation of the juvenile court, and crime prevention and intervention programs. We will explore the current evidence on prevention, diversion, causes and rates of delinquency as it relates to assessment of risk and intervention needs. We will learn how to use Motivational Interviewing (MI) to have productive conversations about behavior change with adolescents and young adults. We will learn the fundamentals of MI and have hands-on practice in the classroom.