Identity-Week 6-Feb 28th, 2011

I believe that identity formation can begin at an early age. Children in the documentary were asked to identify which playmates would be most suitable. Almost all of the children chose the white children and this demonstrates how they are subconsciously affected by stereotypes. However, the black child who was taught national pride almost always picked the black playmate when asked to identify positive characteristics. Children are also constantly subjected to class stereotypes. Children stories often revolve around prince and princesses and their elitist families. 

Children are taught through these stories and other external factors that wealth results in happiness. In the documentary when children are asked which house the happy people live in, they always choose the larger one. Our documentary also claims that children become aware of their sex at the age of two.  Gender can become a major influence upon a child’s identity. When given male dolls with girl’s clothes, the children misidentified the sex. This demonstrates that we have many social expectations for how men and women should appear in society. I believe that we need to focus on how our society can influence young minds. By raising children with certain stereotypes, we are heavily impacting their identity. We do not need to keep them identity-neutral, but we should teach them that all kinds of different identities are acceptable. If we teach the children to accept other people’s identities, we will live in a much happier/equal world.

Week 4- Juvenile Death Penalty-Justin Vizcaino

The death penalty is a very stigmatized concept when applied to the youth. We consider citizens adults at the age of 18, yet many children aged 17 and younger have been given the death penalty sentence for crimes they committed. “As is the case throughout the juvenile justice system, African-American and Latino youth are disproportionately affected by the juvenile death penalty” (Morreale 2004). Our film stated that many professors believe that the death penalty affects the poor first. Since the majority of poverty affects colored people, the death penalty directly affects minorities. “Although African-Americans and Latinos makeup approximately 6.8% and 6.9% of the U.S. population ages 14 through 17, respectively, 41% of the73 juvenile offenders on death row as of March 15, 2004 was black or African-American and 21% was of Latino or Hispanic origin” (Morreale 2004).

I also think it is interesting how many states have gradually condemned the death penalty for youths. “Over the past couple of years, many states have begun to outlaw the death penalty” (Lane 2005). I do not believe that the death penalty positively affects society. After watching the film, I believe that many of the juvenile inmates are genuinely remorseful. These juveniles can be reformed and should not have their life striped from them. Instead of focusing on the death penalty, we should focus on reform programs. If we develop effective reform programs, we can become a more wholesome society. Also, we need to focus on rectifying societal structure. These acts of crime are occurring because of the societal environments these children are placed in.




Works Cited

Films for the Humanities and Sciences."Death Row Kids" 2005. Online video clip. Arizona Universities Library Consortium. FMG Video On Demand. Accessed on 7 February 2011. http://digital.films.com/play/ VGL58V



Morreale, M. C., & English, A. (2004). Abolishing the death penalty for juvenile offenders: A background paper. Journal of Adolescent Health, 35(4), 335-339.



Steinberg, L., & Scott, E. S. (2003). Less guilty by reason of adolescence: Developmental immaturity, diminished responsibility, and the juvenile death penalty. The American Psychologist, 58(12), 1009-18.

Transitional Justice Watch Blog #2:Darfur

Dear Victim,

You are experiencing extreme strife and inequality. Many of the people involved in the military are oppressing you and stripping you of your rights. The military extorts the youth and encourages you to offer your boys up to the regime. You are told that your boys’ participation in the regime will help to keep you safe. However, the regime often kills your children and shows no remorse for the tragedies they are committing.

  
Much of the success of the oppressions stems from the politics of fear. The government is able to strike fear into the hearts of the citizens and to keep everyone in check. Withholding of education is also another that the government is able to control the people. I believe that we need to continue to educate ourselves on effective diplomatic relations. The key to ending the misery does not benefit from solitary rebel groups operating alone.

Darfur benefits from increased oil revenue and is one of the fasting growing countries in Africa. This access to wealth can allow for Darfur to become a very prosperous/successful country. I believe that the way to achieve that is to keep working together and bonding. I am the leader of a rebel group that seeks change in a progressive manner.

I want you to know that there are many different people in Darfur that are working to help relieve that pain of the regime. Sudan soldiers have been dealt many different defeats at the hands of Darfur rebels. We have created a coalition of groups that meet and discuss about the progression of Darfur. I believe that if we consolidate our groups we will be more effective at negotiating with the government.

Our country will eventually become a fair place for everyone to live. Our regimes are becoming stronger and we do not seek to oppress the people by gaining power. We are trying to cooperate with the government and reach peaceful agreements. I would advise you to become active in the efforts but to never become hostile towards people.

Signed,

General Agway (Rebel leader, diplomat, politician, seeker of peace)

Documentary Film: Heart of Darfur
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/sudan/index.html 

Juvenile Correctional Programs-Week 3-Feb 7th, 2011

I believe that it is quite astonishing how many youths are incarcerated and sentenced. I believe that we need to take more precautions to prevent this! “Adolescents incarcerated in the criminal court under the Juvenile Offender Law are sent to a ‘Division for Youth’ facility that is less restrictive than adult facilities and prioritizes education as a correctional goal” (Kupchik 2007). Sentencing youths to adult crimes prohibits them from receiving these benefits of educational reform. However, while the notion of a youth correctional facility in essence seems like a good idea, the benefits may not even exist. “Yet, it is unclear that these various options actually present different results, or that the juvenile facilities to which young adults are sentenced are substantially different than adult facilities” (Kupchik 2007). 
I believe that instead of focusing so much money towards convicting children, we need to develop research teams that discover the best methods to reform them. We are not even sure if youth correctional facilities work, so it is a waste of money to keep operating them. I believe that we should also focus on community building and creating positive environments for these children to live in. Children with strong family and community support are less likely to end up on the streets or conducting crime.