Mindful Continuing Education

1. Numerous research studies have demonstrated that individual characteristics and various factors can increase the probability of offending and may also predict substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, dropping out of school and other problems during adolescence and early adulthood.

A. True B. False

2. A long-term follow-up of a randomized experiment that compared family therapy with probation services determined that family therapy participants reported a lower rate of re-arrest compared with their control counterparts, by modifying patterns of family interaction through modeling and reinforcement to:

A. Revitalize interpersonal bonds and adapt to current needs B. Appreciate the values and perspectives of each family member C. Encourage clear communication and minimize conflict D. Examine the underlying causes of dysfunctional interactions in order to modify them

3. Individual-level programs target risk factors for offending in early childhood, adolescence and early adulthood, and generally focus on the following areas EXCECT:

A. Intellectual stimulation for preschool children B. Social skills training that targets traits such as impulsivity and low empathy in childhood C. Treatment of substance abuse and improving mental health in young adults D. Reducing the influence of delinquent friends and increasing the influence of healthier ones

4. Ex-offender job training programs are the only employment-based interventions that have that have clearly demonstrated desirable effects on offending in early adulthood and that have shown positive effects on subsequent earnings.

A. True B. False

5. In addition to immersion in crime and violence, gang-involved youth are more likely to engage in substance abuse, participate in high-risk sexual behavior, as well as experience a wide range of potentially long-term health and social consequences, including school dropout, teen parenthood, family problems and unstable employment.

A. True B. False

6. Joining a gang should be understood as part of a life course that begins when a child is born, with particular risk factors impacting children at certain ages, such as 6-12 year olds who are especially vulnerable to threatening situations, cognitive impairments, and exposure to early aggressive behavior.

A. True B. False

7. Gary D. Gottfredson, a professor at the University of Maryland, College Park, who has studied school safety issues for more than three decades, states that the single most important thing that schools can do to prevent gang-joining may be:

A. Providing a safe environment to ensure that students are not fearful B. Collaborating with law enforcement to accurately assess gang problems C. Coordinating with community outreach programs to implement prevention strategies D. Focusing on "core activities" such as tutoring, mentoring, life-skills training, case management, parental involvement, and supervised recreational activities

8. Although race and ethnicity can play a complex role in gang membership, experts recommend that gang-prevention strategies focus on "common denominators" that cut across racial and ethnic lines, such as poverty and immigration, social isolation and discrimination, drug use, limited educational opportunities, and low parental monitoring.

A. True B. False