Roundtable: Hot Potato - Blame and Responsibility Surrounding Delinquency and Youth Violence

Session Submission Type: Roundtable Sessions

Abstract/Description

Adolescents reside in a unique in-between where they are physically, mentally, and emotionally capable of doing significant and salient harm, yet they do not have the autonomy to be considered fully culpable for their behavior. A primary focus in the process of addressing youthful transgressions is the question of who is responsible if not the youth. This pattern of identifying the responsible party can result in a feedback loop of finger-pointing, which can directly inhibit the ability of each social sphere to effectively address the behavior. In contrast, when united, the various social spheres may offer consistency, stability, and a more thorough intervention. This panel will offer an open discussion on how youthful deviance or offending is addressed, both formally and informally, in each of the major social spheres (e.g., the home, school, and the juvenile legal system), and how other social spheres support or inhibit response and intervention efforts.

Sub Unit

• Area XIV. Roundtables

Individual Presentations

• Child-parent violence: Taking back control in an uncertain world - Hannah Sedlacek, University of South Carolina

• Juvenile image-based sexual abuse perpetration: Addressing complex new social issues - Sohee Jung, University of South Carolina

• Juvenile justice and interventions: Balancing the needs of those involved - Sarah Louise Franklin, University of South Carolina

• School discipline: The expected, the real, and the ideal - Jillian Leigh Chamberlain, University of South Carolina