Transcript Unit 3 Discussion Tips

Facts Versus Opinions
Unit 3 Discussion Tips
A Thesis is debatable!
Juvenile offenders are "criminals
who happen to be young, not
children who happen to be criminal."
--Albert Regnery
Thesis = Opinion
The word
ONLY
implies that
other ways
will not
work.
Gang violence and crime can only be changed
by addressing the root causes of deviant
behavior. If the social needs of young people in
gang-heavy areas can be met in healthy ways,
gang involvement will be less attractive, and
gang-related problems will decline.
Unit 3 Discussion Questions!
1. Post your original thesis statement and your
revised thesis statement.
Go to the Unit 3 DB and find your original thesis
statement. Read my comments and the comments
from your peers.
Then, rewrite your thesis (either a little or a lot)
and post it in the discussion for Unit 6!
2. Review and provide feedback on the thesis statements of two of your
classmates. If one student has already received feedback from two peers, choose
another student's posting so that everyone can benefit from the feedback.
a) Was anything unclear?
b) What grabbed you and made you want to read the
whole paper?
c) What questions might you expect this paper to
answer based on the direction of the thesis
statement?
d) Where do you see this paper going after reading the
thesis statement?
e) What would you add or delete to make the thesis
statement better?
Thesis 1
Anti-drug policies cause gang
violence. Legalization of marijuana
will take away the income from gangs'
drug trafficking, resulting in a
decrease in gang membership and
violence.
Unit 3 Discussion Questions!
a) Was anything unclear?
b) What grabbed you and made you want to read the
whole paper?
c) What questions might you expect this paper to
answer based on the direction of the thesis
statement?
d) Where do you see this paper going after reading the
thesis statement?
e) What would you add or delete to make the thesis
statement better?
Thesis 2
Gangs are associated with
drugs, weapons and
intimidation.
Unit 3 Discussion Questions!
a) Was anything unclear?
b) What grabbed you and made you want to read the
whole paper?
c) What questions might you expect this paper to
answer based on the direction of the thesis
statement?
d) Where do you see this paper going after reading the
thesis statement?
e) What would you add or delete to make the thesis
statement better?
Thesis 3
Anti-loitering laws prevent violence before it
happens and give police the power to prevent
teenagers and others in gang-ridden
neighborhoods from congregating in public.
The best way to address gang activities is to
enforce anti-loitering laws.
Unit 3 Discussion Questions!
a) Was anything unclear?
b) What grabbed you and made you want to read the
whole paper?
c) What questions might you expect this paper to
answer based on the direction of the thesis
statement?
d) Where do you see this paper going after reading the
thesis statement?
e) What would you add or delete to make the thesis
statement better?
Thesis 4
Anti-loitering laws infringe on the right to
assembly and to associate with others and give
police too much power. Moreover, the
situations under which the law would apply
were too vague.
Unit 3 Discussion Questions!
a) Was anything unclear?
b) What grabbed you and made you want to read the
whole paper?
c) What questions might you expect this paper to
answer based on the direction of the thesis
statement?
d) Where do you see this paper going after reading the
thesis statement?
e) What would you add or delete to make the thesis
statement better?
Unit 3 Discussion Questions!
a) Was anything unclear?
b) What grabbed you and made you want to read the
whole paper?
c) What questions might you expect this paper to
answer based on the direction of the thesis
statement?
d) Where do you see this paper going after reading the
thesis statement?
e) What would you add or delete to make the thesis
statement better?
Support = Facts
Causes for Joining Gangs
Young people join gangs for the same reasons that they
join other social groups. Some reasons include:
• Structure
• Discipline
• Commitment
• Sense of belonging
• Companionship
• Social Interaction
Support = Facts
•
Certain social conditions commonly exist in
areas where gang recruitment is high.
•
The frustration and hopelessness of poverty can
increase the sense of being denied the material
things that society has available.
•
This strain often leads to the crime and drug
trade associated with gangs as a way to earn
money and gain personal power.
Questions to Consider!
1. Do you agree that the availability of more
programs for young people would lead to a decline
in gang membership? Why or why not?
2. What do young people believe they could gain by
membership in a gang?
3. Describe some types of community activities or
organizations that might help to keep young people
from joining a gang.
More Questions!
4. What kinds of skills and behaviors are the
most likely to help young people avoid gang
involvement?
5. Do you think anti-loitering laws give police
the power to prevent teenagers and others in
gang-ridden neighborhoods from congregating
in public?
Resources!
Craig, W., Vitaro, F., Gagnon, C., & Tremblay, R.
(2002). The road to gang membership:
Characteristics of male gang and nongang
members from ages 10 to 14. Social
Development, 11(1), 53-68. Retrieved from
Academic Search Alumni Edition database.
National Gang Center
at
http://www.nationalgangcenter.gov/About/FAQ#q1.