Juvenile Delinquency is a term given to those children who act against the law. They are aged between 15 and 25. Crime committed by young people has risen since the mid twentieth century. The level and types of youth crime is used as an indicator of the general state of morality and law and order in a country, thus youth crime can be the source of moral panics. A Juvenile Delinquent can be referred to one who repeatedly commits crime. There are varied reasons for their not behaving in a socially framed manner. Sometimes they may have mental disorders/ behavioral issues like post traumatic stress disorder and sometimes diagnosed with conduct disorder. Classical criminology asserts that causes of crime lie within the individual offender rather than in their external environment. They are motivated by rational self-interest. Current positivist approaches focus on the culture. They attribute variation in crime and delinquency to the breakdown of communal institutions like family and communal relationships that traditionally encouraged relationships among people. Some hold this view that crime is caused by the difficulty those in poverty have in achieving socially valued goals by legitimate means. It is also suggested that young people are motivated to commit crimes by delinquent peers and learn criminal skills from them.  Young people with criminal friends are more likely to commit crimes themselves. It is also suggested that if young people are labeled as criminals they are more likely to offend. Once labelled as deviant a young person may accept that role and more likely associates with others who have been similarly labelled. The idea of masculinity can also drive young people towards offense. Being tough, powerful, aggressive, daring and competitive they express their masculinity by acting out these ideals and thus more likely engage in antisocial and criminal behavior. Children with low intelligence are likely to do worse in school. Low educational attainment, low attachment to school and low educational aspirations are risk factors which may increase the chance of offence. Parental conflict or separation can also lead a child towards detrimental activities because of low or no parental supervision in such cases. Children with a weak attachment to their parents are more likely to offend. Parents who are not well connected with their children don’t know anything about their children’s daily activities.  Also such children are less willing to discuss their activities with them and they gradually may indulge in offensive deeds, their parents being unaware about it.  Once the juvenile offender reaches maturation he is likely to continue exhibiting mal-adaptive behaviours. If mental disorders such as conduct disorders go undiagnosed and untreated the juvenile offender has the increased potential to later develop anti-social personality disorder and continue his life as a career criminal. Anti-social personality is a common diagnosis for a serial killer.
Delinquency Prevention is the need of the hour to ensure prosperity of individual and nation on the whole. Development of delinquency in youth being influenced by numerous factors, prevention efforts are comprehensive in scope. Prevention services include activities such as substance abuse education and treatments, family counselling, youth mentoring, parenting education, educational supports and youth sheltering.

(Iqra Sheikh is PG Sociology)

Lastupdate on : Fri, 30 Apr 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 30 Apr 2010 18:30:00 GMT
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