Kareena Mehra

How does the home and street environment of different races influence or perpetuate juvenile behavior?

Started May 26, 2022

Abstract or project description

I am focusing on the moral and ethical ground of the juvenile system. I am analyzing how social institutions can impact juvenile behavior, specifically from a psychological and sociological lens. In the juvenile system, a variety of factors play a role in the mistreatment of different demographics from different communities. A hostile or toxic environment in the system can stem from each incarcerated youths' home life or street life, further deepening the lack of improvement or development. I am completing comparative qualitative research where I go in-depth about two case studies revolving around two adolescents in the juvenile system, I will look into direct correlations between race/ethnicity and the extent of these social institutions on the way these adolescents present themselves and the lifestyles they live after being sentenced. I will tie in the marginalization of these incarcerated individuals when facing jail time. The purpose of this project is to showcase the corrupt process of the juvenile system and dive deep into components that make up continuous juvenile behavior that cycles over and over again. My research question is how does the home and street environment of different races influence or perpetuate juvenile behavior? In the near future, as technology and access to different media sources expands and develops, more stigmas on the incarcerated youth could be put in place. Also, as tension in the national court rises and our natural rights continue to be stripped, adolescents in the juvenile system could be faced with harsher sentencings and ill treatment to a larger, extreme extent.