Case, S. S., Oetama-Paul, A. J. (2015). Brain Biology and Gendered Discourse. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 64(2), 338-378. doi:                        10.1111/apps. 12040

There are physiological differences in gene expression between males and females. The research investigates scientific data about the varying psychosocial components of gender and the resulting effect on communication (discourse) and leadership. Differences in gender can contribute to a person's “biopsychosocio perspective.” The authors seek to offer a scientific explanation for the lack of females in leadership roles. The article suggests that brain chemistry, cultural beliefs and gender stereotypes lead to societal discrimination and misogyny. It concludes that better research methods are necessary to accurately gauge discourse processes in relation to differences in gender.

The authors incorporate perspectives from different scientific schools of thought. Sources were diverse and it is a unique article because it is from an annual review. It was informative, extremely specific, and incredibly interesting. This is cutting edge because the field which is under discussion is relatively new- organizational neuroscience. It applies to my research topic because it states that males and females have different leadership styles at all ages.

 

Folk, J., Dallaire, D., Zeman, J. (2014). High Risk Early Adolescents' Perceptions of Jail  and Offender Experiences. Applied Psychology and Criminal                Justice (102)

Children's cognitive ability to understand the criminal justice system varies for different reasons. Their age, level of life experience, and the language used in reference to incarceration all affects the level of understanding. Authors sought to gauge the perspective of “at risk” youth who have incarcerated mothers or fathers. Through qualitative data such as interviews and written evaluations, they discovered that some of the young adults perceive the criminal justice system to be a positive experience. The majority of participants view jail as punishment which should be avoided.

I was surprised to find out a few interesting statistics. Over half of prisoners who have children do not ever receive a visitor. The data reported that children who have incarcerated parents are at a higher risk of aggression and violence. They are likely to have witnessed domestic violence and poverty. This study is useful for narrowing my topic because the term “at-risk” is broad.

 

Ford, R., Hershberger, S., Glenn, J., Morris, S., Saez, V. Williams, R. (2013). Building a youth- led movement to keep young people out of the adult criminal      justice system. Children and Youth Services Review, 35(8), 1268-1275.

Pennsylvania has a particularly harsh method of dealing with violent juvenile offenders. Act 33 tries all youth age fifteen to eighteen in adult court and limits their access to rehabilitation services and educational opportunities. As a result, a high percentage of the juveniles become recidivists. A group of these former criminals who spent years in adult jails began a grassroots group to protest Act 33 and spread community awareness. This evolved into the Youth Art and Self Empowerment Project (YASP) a non profit organization which fights structural violence against minorities and the poor by supporting and empowering youth. They focus on the arts, music and building leadership qualities in the youth.

This article was a compilation of quantitative data about the local community and experiential stories from members of the YASP. This means the qualitative data could be biased, due to individual subjectivity. I gained a brutally honest perspective from the juvenile offenders.  

 

Frank, M., Talbot, B., Clauhs, M. Hawkins, T., Niknafs, N. (2013). “You Got to Know Us:”: A Hopeful Model for Music Education in Urban Schools. Visions of        Research in Music Education, 23, 1-27.

The new normal in Americas' public school system is classrooms populated with high numbers of minorities and poor children. Instructors lack physical resources such as musical equipment and books. Most of all, music teachers lack the skills to deal with student's attitudes about learning, and the result is often chaotic. In order to stay relevant, curriculum must evolve. The authors argue for a new design for musical pedagogy that will benefit both instructors and students. It concludes that the answer is for the teacher to examine their own beliefs to gain awareness.

This was written by five music instructors with expert opinions. Their experiential data was subjective, and biased. However, it is undeniable that the public school classroom changed when arts and music lost funding. It makes sense that the curriculum should evolve with the needs of the community. This was applicable to me because urban music education is a component of Steel Mosaic Orchestras' mission.

 

Grey, A., Durkin, K., Call, J., Evans, H., Melton, W. (2015). Differential Association and Marijuana Use in a Juvenile Drug Court Sample. Applied Psychology        in Criminal Justice, 11(1).

The effect of a persons' environment contributes to the choices they make. The theory of differential association is applied to juvenile marijuana users. Authors investigate the qualitative link between criminal behavior and surrounding contributing factors such as peer pressure, family environment, or culture.  

This study contains bias. Also there are societal perceptions and stereotypes about marijuana that makes smoking seem cool or desirable. Marijuana is considered a gateway drug because such a high percentage of users move on to other substances. It is difficult to definitively say that smokers do it because of differential association or due to other reasons. This article is relevant because it validates my thought that at risk youth need a more positive past time than doing illegal drugs.

 

Hart, D., Atkins, R., Ford, D. (1998). Urban America as a context for the development of  moral identity in adolescence. Journal of Social Issues, 54(3),             513-30.

There are concerns for the moral future of urban communities. The term “at risk youth” has many definitions, but most every reference has become synonymous with poverty, high school drop outs, incarceration, deviance, and crime. Frequently this population has a parent in prison, and lacks involvement in the local community. There has been an extremely large percent of minorities from urban areas who become victims of what is called the “school to prison pipeline.”

Authors examine data to explore the need for leadership and community involvement in order to produce long term reductions in the number of juveniles entering the criminal justice system. Urban teens have different needs than that of peers'. This needs to be considered in regard to my portfolio project because it deals with diverse urban young adults.

 

Hernandez-Ramdwar, C. (2009). Shottas and Cubaneros: Badmanism, Bling and Youth Crime in Trinidad and Tobago and Cuba. Caribbean Journal of              Criminology & Public Safety, 14(1/2), 285-305.

Underground gangster culture has extended it's reach into day to day life for the youth in Trinidad and Tobago and Cuba. Gun- related crime and an aggressive, dominant attitude has overtaken the three islands. The article suggests that is due to a perception in youth that illegal activities are cool. The music industry has an effect in perpetuating violence through lyrics, and the basis for the “shottas” style of regaeton which is wildly popular is created by copying gunshots. The author studies qualitative data based upon participants experiences compared to those from their past about the effect of the music on current pop culture.

This article was interesting because I listen to this style of music. I was unaware of how much reggaeton /cubaton impacted pop culture- violent crime rates have sky-rocketed in the islands. The same is true for the U.S. The conclusion is that youth are lacking in positive opportunities for jobs, and education. The article is uniquely relevant to my project. Steel Mosaic Orchestra educates it's students about the cultural background of Caribbean music while instilling traits that are anti violent and empowering for youth.

 

Hollidaya, M., Cimetta, C., Outshaw, C., Yaden, D., Marx, R. (2014). Protective Factors for School Readiness Among Children in Poverty. Journal of                      Education for Students Placed at Risk,19(3/4), 125-147.

Children who come from poor socioeconomic backgrounds have a high chance of performing poorly academically. There is a disproportionate ratio of juveniles disappearing from public schools, especially in urban areas. Many end up in the prison system, or working low paying jobs with no chance for promotion. The authors used multiple linear transgression to see if there is a connection between early assessments of school readiness, parent involvement, health status, language the participant speaks, and level of their parents education. The data suggests that the income status of the child affects their level of school readiness.

The authors attempt to identify protective factors for children in order to improve their quality of life from an early age. This was interesting because it is a search for a long term solution for the “school to prison pipeline.” The research can be utilized for my research. It is useful to know that two thirds of the public school system are below poverty level. This will impact society in different ways.

 

Johnston, D. (2006). The Wrong Road: Efforts to Understand the Effects of Parental Crime and Incarceration. Criminology and Public Policy, 5(4), 703-            719.

Juvenile delinquents are highly likely to have a parent involved in the criminal justice system. This reactionary essay studied quantitative data to see if there is this can contribute to deviance. There seems to be a direct correlation between parental crime and poverty in their offspring, along with social instability and aggression. Around half of young offenders have incarcerated parents. The number of minorities and females committing violent crime is on the rise. Several generations of families are populating jails.

The author suggests that more research should be explored on this subject, because it affects our society on many levels. I would like to explore more qualitative and statistical data about inter-generational criminal activity to see if there is any long term psychological effects. I was interested to find that children of all ages were affected in some way, regardless if they had a relationship with the incarcerated parent or not.

 

Kaal, H., Brand, E., van Nieuwehuijzen, M. (2012). Serious juvenile offenders with and without intellectual disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities and      Offending Behaviour. (3)2, 66-76.

A statistical analysis of data about juvenile offenders shows that a high number of juvenile inmates have one or more intelectual disability (I.D.). The authors evaluated this populations' level of functioning compared with their peers in order to devise more effective psychological treatments. The majority of juveniles that have an I.D. exhibit emotional and behavioral issues. Some examples are criminal behavior, deviance, and anti-social actions. Overall, I.D. creates a barrier for juvenile offenders. Treatment should include a focus on more specific cogitive skills, positive social interaction and interpersonal relations.

The data was impressive. The definition of Intellectual Disability varies, and can be interpreted subjectively. Therefore this data is biased, but it is obvious that there is a relationship between delinquency and a lack of social skills. It was sad that participants with the lowest i.q.s were from backgrounds in poverty, and face a multitude of problems that are hard to overcome.