Youth crime

Until two years ago, Clearing, Illinois was a tranquil suburb of Chicago. But residents grew alarmed when they noticed armed teenagers on the streets, giving gang signals and shouting at passing cars. Then came a series of burglaries and graffiti messages on storefronts. By the time local authorities realized they had a gang problem, it was too late. Last December, two 13-year-old girls were shot outside their school as they sat in a car with two members of a local gang, the Ridgeway Lords.

Nearly all 50 states have recently passed laws that allow youths aged 14-17 to be tried in court as adults. In about 25 states they have passed laws to punish parents for their children's behaviour. And in 146 of the nation's largest cities, they have imposed curfews to reduce juvenile violence. When you look at the spectacular rise of violent crime among young people recently, it's easy to understand the concern. Over the past decade, there has been a decline in adult murders in the US, while murder rates have surged for youths between 14-17.

For young offenders who aren't sent to prison, the punishments vary: some are ordered to perform community service, others are placed in job training programs, still others sent to youth prisons. But the Republicans in Congress want to reverse a basic principle of juvenile justice: the separation of young criminals from hardened adult criminals in prison. The reasons are partly financial - to reduce the cost of having separate prisons for young people - and partly psychological - to end what Republicans consider as society's overly protective attitude towards young criminals.

Find in the text words that mean:

calm                     __________________

anxious                 __________________

signs                     __________________

deterioration          __________________

police                    __________________

perpetrator            __________________

 to grow                 __________________

Multiple choice Questions:

1) Where is Clearing located?
In Great Britain.
In the USA.
In Spain.

2) Why were residents unhappy?
Because taxes increased.
Because gangs came into their town.
Because rents were too high.

3) What happened in December?
a policeman shot a young man
criminality decreased
two girls were killed because they were with two members of another gang

4) What are 'the Ridgeway Lords'?
a famous band.

a prison.
a gang.

5) What is 'a curfew'?
Young people are not allowed to smoke.
Young people are not allowed to drink.
Young people are not allowed to go out when it is too late (night).

6) There is an increase in…
the number of prisons
the number of crimes done by adults
the number of crimes done by young people

7) What would the Republicans like to do?
They would like to put young criminals into prisons for adults
They would like to separate young criminals from adult criminals
They would like to ban youth prisons