KIDS WHO KILL
It's not a subject most people in society today are comfortable to talk about nor does it usually just pop up in conversation at the dinner table with family and friends. But, juvenile violence is a concern in our world today and throughout the semester we dug deeper into the minds and real life cases of kids who kill. We read many books and articles regarding children of all ages who have committed murder. In addition, we watched a few movie clips and also the full documentary of "Lost For Life." As a class and individually we would research each offenders' motives, backgrounds, family members, health issues, and many more interesting facts that we would stumble upon to try and make sense of any thought or action of each offender. The entire semester we constantly had to keep asking ourselves, "Why do these children commit such horrific acts?" "What inside of him/her is making them think and act like this?" We analyzed all types of factors that could play a part, these included biological, behavioral, and environmental influences. We specifically looked into the neurological aspect and researched the facts behind statements like "children are "programmed" or born to commit murder." And on the other extreme, if there is evidence showing that children who have suffered severe trauma or abuse to the brain could potentially have altered decision making skills and therefore cause individuals to act on treacherous thoughts.
On our own, we were asked to reflect on the books, articles, and movies that we read and watched. In almost every case we looked at I tried to put myself in each individual's shoes and see if I could understand or comprehend the reasons why such occurrences may have happened. I constantly found myself falling back on the question, "Why am I not a murderer?" "What makes me different from all of these children who have taken part in such violent crimes?" I never reached a definitive answer, because so much research is still ongoing and there are so many aspects of a child's brain that haven't been analyzed yet. Throughout the semester, I did, however, pick apart myself as an individual as these questions would pop up in my head. I had many risk factors as a child that juveniles who get involved in dangerous crimes have. I came from a low income family, my parents were divorced, and I spent a majority of my childhood making my own decisions with little discipline. On the other hand I also had many protective factors such as growing up in a good community, getting good grades in school, and engaging socially with my peers. On the last day of class, I came to the personal conclusion that in MOST circumstances it truly is the morals and values a child has and whether or not the child knows the difference between right and wrong and the potential consequences of bad decisions that could lead them down the wrong path in life, worst case scenario... becoming a child who commits murder. I grew up knowing and understanding these key points in life (my mother made sure of that) and for that reason alone is why I am the person I am today.
Attached is powerpoint made by myself and a few group members regarding the case of Robert Thompson and Jon Venables. In addition, attached are a few personal reflections from the semester. Response 4 describes in depth why I believe I did not end up being a violent juvenile. Response 7 is my reflection on the documentary, "Lost For Life."
On our own, we were asked to reflect on the books, articles, and movies that we read and watched. In almost every case we looked at I tried to put myself in each individual's shoes and see if I could understand or comprehend the reasons why such occurrences may have happened. I constantly found myself falling back on the question, "Why am I not a murderer?" "What makes me different from all of these children who have taken part in such violent crimes?" I never reached a definitive answer, because so much research is still ongoing and there are so many aspects of a child's brain that haven't been analyzed yet. Throughout the semester, I did, however, pick apart myself as an individual as these questions would pop up in my head. I had many risk factors as a child that juveniles who get involved in dangerous crimes have. I came from a low income family, my parents were divorced, and I spent a majority of my childhood making my own decisions with little discipline. On the other hand I also had many protective factors such as growing up in a good community, getting good grades in school, and engaging socially with my peers. On the last day of class, I came to the personal conclusion that in MOST circumstances it truly is the morals and values a child has and whether or not the child knows the difference between right and wrong and the potential consequences of bad decisions that could lead them down the wrong path in life, worst case scenario... becoming a child who commits murder. I grew up knowing and understanding these key points in life (my mother made sure of that) and for that reason alone is why I am the person I am today.
Attached is powerpoint made by myself and a few group members regarding the case of Robert Thompson and Jon Venables. In addition, attached are a few personal reflections from the semester. Response 4 describes in depth why I believe I did not end up being a violent juvenile. Response 7 is my reflection on the documentary, "Lost For Life."
robert_thompson_and_jon_venables_case_.pdf | |
File Size: | 357 kb |
File Type: |
response_4-_kids_who_kill_.docx | |
File Size: | 115 kb |
File Type: | docx |
response_7-_kids_who_kill_.docx | |
File Size: | 116 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Hillcrest academy visit
As a class, we also had the opportunity to take a tour of Hillcrest Academy here in Cincinnati. The Hillcrest Academy serves male youth between the ages of 12-18 with a history of delinquent behaviors, mild mental health issues and special education needs. Hillcrest Academy is a 96-bed residential treatment program licensed in 2012 by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and operated by Rite of Passage (ROP) in partnership with the Hamilton County Juvenile Court and Probation Department. Visiting Hillcrest Academy was very eye opening experience and served to be a very educational opportunity, as well as enjoyable. My favorite part of visiting Hillcrest was how much joy was brought to the young boys who live there. The boys loved explaining what they do on a daily basis and how the inner workings of the academy work, including the rules, routine, and nature of the facility. None of us were aware of what crimes or misdoings the boys had committed that brought them to Hillcrest, but in all reality in that environment they seemed like normal teenage boys to most of us. The boys were cracking jokes, making all of us laugh, and giving us all a dose of entertainment for the day. In my opinion, the boys seemed to be progressing and greatly benefitting from their treatment at Hillcrest. This made me start to think about if we had more facilities like Hillcrest in our nation available. I know that many exist, but an increase in these types of facilities would do our country good I believe. I think that all some children need is a new start, along with a great deal of guidance and direction along the way. That is exactly what the boys get at Hillcrest. It was very obvious that the boys had made friendships, as well as respectable relationships with the employees at Hillcrest. The employees of Hillcrest serve as great role models to the boys, so when they are released from the facility and go out into the real world again they have individuals to look up to and inspire them. I thought it was a great idea that the Hillcrest academy was largely based upon morals and values. Before the boys came to Hillcrest, it is my guess many of them lacked good morals and values. Good behavior and decision making is based upon an individual’s morals and what he/she believe is right and wrong. I think Hillcrest is doing a great job at instilling discipline and teaching the boys at how to succeed in life and steer clear of a life in violence. I was very surprised how comfortable and safe I felt walking around the facility and interacting with the offenders there. That shows me that Hillcrest is doing a phenomenal job at getting these boys back on the right track in life.