juvenile delinquency

juvenile delinquency

Lots of studies and researches have been conducted to investigate juvenile delinquency (Cappelaere & Verhellen, 2016). According to the oxford dictionary, Juvenile delinquency is the frequent or continual of acts of crime by a child or a younger person especially, if he/she is below the standard age in which people can be comfortably prosecuted in the court of law. The acts of crime may start as quite simple, e.g., frequent failure to go to school and to exceed curfew time, but they gradually progress to more severe crimes such as smoking, stealing, and violence against peers and after that, create a patterning effect. According to a study done recently by (Pitts, 2016), the estimated juvenile arrests run up to 40% of crimes committed globally and is expected to rise even the more, with the leading crimes being vandalism of property and theft. Although most cases are usually not reported to authorities, the issue has led to an upsurge in concerns.

There are quite several factors that contribute to juvenile delinquency. A study conducted by (Brownfield, Bartol & Bartol, 2010) showed that most cases of misconduct are as a result of broken families. The research further continues to elaborate that young children and teens adopt ethical and moral values from their parents. Most parents have failed in their duty as guardians in shaping the character of their children. To add on to that, broken families would translate to parents being single, and unfortunately, according to their research, single parents have been proven to have less time with their children due to long working hours. In conjunction with that, a study conducted by Yablonsky (2010) shows that the leading cause of juvenile delinquency is the lack of social and moral training. Schools focus more on teaching other aspects of academics and leave out the essential part of it, that is, the moral and ethical training. Other causes of delinquency are lack of finances, which cause teenagers to steal from their peers and other people, lack of communication from family or guardians on matters concerning esteem, which may lead to loss of sense of identity, peer pressure and drug/substance abuse (Pitts, 2016). In short, delinquency is highly dependent upon the environment in which the teen or the child descends from.

According to a study done by Brown, Siegel & Senna, (2014), parental care and guidance is the most effective way to prevent juvenile delinquency. This is because parents and the family at large, play a crucial role in impacting on a child’s behavior. The study further elaborates that juvenile offenses are somewhat impossible to do away with due to technological advancements such as violent video games and movies which encourage crime and arouse evil desires in children. However, the United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency is working tirelessly to ensure that cases of delinquency among young children reduce rather than increasing (Cappelaere & Verhellen, 2016). It provides helpful guidelines on juvenile crimes. Its principles were adopted and proclaimed on 14th December 1990. The framework states out that other than the general prevention, the family, schools and other institutions of learning and the community are the major determinants of a child’s moral behavior and they, altogether, should work towards the prevention of juvenile delinquency which genuinely complements the findings of Brownfield, Bartol & Bartol, (2010)

In conclusion, juvenile delinquency is an issue that requires in-depth counteraction and individual attention. Researches that have been conducted on juvenile delinquency are vast and somewhat inexhaustible. However, there is a need to shed more light on the issue and increase awareness of its effects and how it can be prevented (Yablonsky, 2010). Reviewing articles written in such matters acquaints people with information and helps to note trends in acts of crime among children.