In a world full of violence, people are all victims and there must be a reason behind it. Moreover, committing crimes are not limited to adults. Teenagers nowadays are very active in the scene of crimes. Teenage rape, Street Gangs, School Massacres are few of the events that have brought damage to the image of modern youth.
Violence is inevitable in a community. It is normal that a person deviates from the common flow of life. This means that not all people can follow government rules and cultural norms. As a result, crimes would be committed. However, the case of juvenile crimes is sort of a big deviation to what is the normal. Teenager years are considered the learning years of a young adult. Hearing from the news that a teenager has committed a crime could bring up a lot of questions. Why is it like that? Has the parent of this kid properly taught him? What does it mean to have youth offenders? Are there any social implications to this issue? Understanding the cause of these events could give light to what really causes juvenile crimes.
Considering the situation of delinquent juveniles, the reason for their actions could be related to brain trauma. It is widely known that the effects of parental care are directly proportional to the tendency of the child to commit crime. From the moment an infant grow, the physiological functions of his body also develops. Biological functions of human beings are partly affected by the environment they are in. If the environment will cause the child to grow under constant stress, the bodily functions may not mature well. Given with this initial condition any triggers that would cause extreme stress to the child may result to violent reactions.
Reactions can vary from physical, mental, emotional and even self-induced hurt. One good example would be of an individual having significant speed of breathing or heart pounding because of stress pressure. Extreme reactions to stress may include passing out. These reactions are perceived as over the normal intensity. Stressful environments by which the child is growing can cause serious damage to the brain. Not only that, it would also affect the entire nervous system. Neglectful environments such as irresponsible parenting could limit the development of the child’s brain to its full potential. Moreover, kids who have experienced complex trauma could have violent tendencies as well as recurring physical pains. This is implicated by headaches and stomachaches. Risky behaviors could be an implication that the child has experienced early traumas. These behaviors could include smoking, drug addiction, sexual abuse, robbery and sometimes killing (NCTNS, 2011).
Researchers have shown that many juveniles facing the court system will have been exposed to one or more potentially damaging brain traumas. With relevance to the normal population, court-involved teenagers are particularly likely to have experienced multiple types of child abuse and trauma exposures. Detrimental effects to brain can be risky to the growth of the child. It would not just disturb the physical growth but also the other aspects of life as well.
The environment could also affect the emotional aspect of the child. If the child grows in an environment wherein he was continuously abused, the percentage of him getting risky behaviors would be very high. These emotional traumas that are directly related to the functions of the brain would eventually cause the child to have difficulty in managing and expressing their emotions. Parental care is an inevitable aspect of child’s growth. Without supervision the children could draw away to the norms of morality. And if the child has been abused by a parent, risky behaviors are a direct result of it (Helgeson, 2011).
Dissociation or deviation from the society is also one of the effects of brain traumatic injury. This could affect the socialization skills of the child. Moreover, this may lead to children dropping out of school, maintain a good job and eventually involved in correctional institutions for juvenile offenders. Juvenile offenders are considered divergent in a sense that they are not like normal teenagers who just laugh with friends. They sometimes chose to be alone and contemplate of what is their purpose. There is an ongoing battle deep inside the brain of the youth regarding the trauma that he has and also the environment that he belongs to (AOC, 2014).
There are also studies conducted to assess the relativity of brain traumatic injuries to juvenile crimes. According to Farrer et al. (2012), there were various studies conducted to adults that have committed crimes, and about 30% has sustained traumatic brain injuries. It is also known that the tested groups were also juvenile offenders. Thus, the percentage of relationship between juvenile crimes and traumatic brain injuries is highly correlated.
The relationship with the effects of traumatic brain injury to juvenile delinquency can be expedited through the behavioral status of juvenile offenders. Juvenile offenders usually commit violence because they are triggered by a certain stress. This stress originated from the memory the brain has captured in the childhood years of the offender. It could be seen as a mirror of the past. However, the intensity of the response of the brain also depends on the type of stress they have received.
The good news is the availability of rehabilitation centers put up for juvenile offenders. That is also the reason why there are separate juvenile courts established. Juvenile offenders have still the chance to live a normal life. This rehabilitation centers are concentrating on healing the traumas these children have experienced. It is also noteworthy to say that the youth are the gems of our society. Thus, to protect and to help them is a major concern.
References
Farrer et. al,. (2012, February 28). Prevalence of traumatic brain injury in juvenile offenders: a meta-analysis. - PubMed - NCBI. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22372420
Helgeson, S. (2011). Identifying Brain Injury in State Juvenile Justice, Corrections, and Homeless Populations. Retrieved from http://www.brainline.org/content/2011/01/identifying-brain-injury-in-state-juvenile-justice-corrections-and-homeless-populations-challenges-and-promising_pageall.html
National Child Traumatic Stress Network. (NCTSN) (2011). Effects of Complex Trauma | National Child Traumatic Stress Network - Child Trauma Home. Retrieved from http://www.nctsn.org/trauma-types/complex-trauma/effects-of-complex-trauma
Administrative Office of the Courts. (AOC) (2014). The Effects of Complex Trauma on Youth. Retrieved from http://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/effects-complex-trauma-on-youth-briefing.pdf
