Abstract
Juvenile Delinquency is considered as a growing a trend in criminology. More young adults aged between 18-24 are being arrested for various crimes from theft and burglary to drug trafficking, rape and murder. Several theories and programs have been published for preventing and understanding the causes of this behaviour.
Most of the studies and theories on crime and causes of delinquent behaviour is associated with the family, background, surroundings and early life experiences of a person. Some more focused theories advocate that the delinquent or criminal behaviour is also provoked by racial or ethnic biasness, education imbalance or cultural factors.
This paper looks into and discusses the sociological perspective on the reasons and causes that invoke criminal thinking among people especially among youngsters. Along with these reasons based on certain accepted theories concerning criminal behaviour the paper shall also discuss some reforms and corrective programs that might assist in if not eradicating, limiting the delinquent behaviour among children and young adults.
Section 1: Juvenile Delinquency –Causation & Theories
Juvenile delinquency is no longer an issue for any specific region or country of the world, In fact statistics show that the delinquent behaviour among youth is a growing trend in every part of the world since 1990s. Currently, juvenile arrests have been reported for every kind of crime and the number of arrests is considerably high depicting that the causes or factors that play a role in invoking such negativity among teenagers and young adults are also prevailing. The figure 1 shows the statistics of juvenile delinquency, the numbers indicate a need of raised concerns and efforts in prevention and intervention.
Differential Association/Social Learning Theory
Social Learning theory as the name suggests implies to the fact that children or people adopt behaviour from their close surroundings. These include the family, culture and social interaction.
One of the most important factors that has been found to be common among most of the criminals and especially the juvenile was a disturbed and broken family. It is believed that a lack of guidance and representation of moral behaviour from parents and/or other family members causes negative behaviour among children or siblings. This factor has been researched several times since 1920s where samples were studied from various arrests and it was found that most of the incarcerated among the sample had broken or single parent families with at least one family member being abusive, violent or had prior criminal background. Additionally, social interaction also plays a role in defining and shaping a person’s general attitude and thinking.
The figure 2 shows the risk factors and characteristics associated with families resulting in criminal behaviour among children or young adults as researched by the Canadian national crime prevention centre.
Social learning theory or differential association theory presented by Sutherland for criminology both point to the similar factors that crime or bad behaviour is usually learned and not inherited thus the family and surroundings of a person might invoke negativity and hatred among them. Usually harsh, violent and abusive parents or families urge children to distance from the family and interact with others more. The unsupervised interaction is often the first step for involving in criminal activities, initially they might be negligible but with time and experience children grow into felonious adults. Influence of felonious behaviour is easily adoptable from peers and thus the young teenagers and young adults (18-24) are most prone to get involved into criminal activities
Social Bond/Control theory
The social bond theory believes that children especially the young adults can be restrained from delinquent behaviour by creating a strong family bond and association. The notion is comparable to the social learning theory as this theory implies that people tend to act better when they are in a positive environment. Children with parental warmth and guidance are better citizens and are more successful in their life and career in contrast to those who lack a family bonding.
- The Contemporary Social Ecology Of Crime
The effects of broken or disturbed families are also often compared with poor or socially weaker families. Children brought up in poor families facing the hardships of life early without proper education, nutrition or general development opportunities tend to grow into aggressive and felonious adults who justify their behaviour as a response to their experiences.
The contemporary social ecology of crime identifies these aspects of segregation and social interaction in form of the possible consequences of a person with their environment and surroundings. This theory relates that crime and criminal views are usually influenced by the negativity surrounding a person whether from their family, acquaintances or neighbours. This theory asserts this social segregation or interaction as the main reason why certain type of crimes are characterized by typical description of criminal or places. In criminology perspectives, transitional neighbourhoods are considered prone to crime and criminal gangs as diverse ethnic and cultural groups stay in same area. Illegal immigrants also find these areas attractive to stay unnoticed.
The social ecology school of thought emphasizes more on the deterioration of neighbourhood and general living conditions such as poverty, neglected neighbourhood and law and order conditions and relates them to the rate of crime. Additionally, the social ecology theory implies to the fact that people from these disadvantaged areas develop sense of frustration and aggression against the authorities and government also referred to as Siege mentality. Siege mentality refers to the fact that people who are not part of the gangs or the powerful develop more fear of being victimized and thus the feeling of mistrust increases, this feeling of abandonment and uncertainty urges them to involve into felonious acts as a justification of their fears and mistrust.
Poverty concentration is characterized by absence of employment opportunities, inferior housing and locality, no access to healthcare or education. These areas are abandoned by any families that do not belong to this social class thus the locality is concentrated with people with disrupted and low economic and social position.
Disorganized Community
In addition to the ecological view of crime Shaw & Mckay presented a related perspective of the surrounding values’ influence on an individual.
The figure 3 presents an overview of the attributes of problematic dwelling localities as studied by National crime prevention centre of Canada. According to them the children and teenagers dwelling in these neighbourhood lack general values and morals due to the presence of diversity and often negating groups Continual changes and overcrowding of population, dispersion of cultural or moral standards, disagreement of norms result in dissolution of a surrounding. Since the young adults and teenagers are more prone to adopt the morals and norms from their surrounding as also suggested by the social association theory thus Shaw & Mckay assert that the juvenile delinquency is a direct consequence of the disorganized and deteriorated neighbourhood and these youngster are more likely to behave in similar manner. The disorganized community concept is depicted as a concentric zone by Shaw & Mckay, characterizing it by industrialization, urbanization, and immigration. They also suggest that the reason behind this disordering is that these people live together lack a sense of commonality and sense of community.
Theory Of Gangs
Frederic Thrasher presented a study of gangs in 1920 and analysed the common features of street gangs dwelling in the poverty ridden areas. The attributes included distorted families, inefficient political representations, low standard education, lowest income opportunity, sub standard living and healthcare conditions. The people in these communities had no or least access to basic requirements inculcating frustration, suppression and rebellious attitude that resulted in the form of these gangs.
The above mentioned theories form a sub set of the sociological and/or criminological perspective of crime. The theories presented provide the general and basic factors that might encourage negative behaviour among youth. Based on these theories the next section of the paper presents some of the reforms or the intervention programs that can assist to limit the rate of juvenile delinquency or crime.
Section 2: Juvenile Delinquency –Prevention & Intervention Programs
It is an established fact that it is better and more cost effective to prevent delinquent behaviour among youngsters that may show signs or are prone due to their surroundings to act in felonious ways. Though there are several intervention programs studied and implemented to control and limit crime and especially designed for juvenile delinquents. In this section, however I present some reforms that are suggested according to the theories presented in the last section.
The theories presented above relate mostly to the fact that the criminal behaviour among youth is usually influenced by the surrounding such as the family, acquaintances, peers or neighbour. Children and teenagers are highly influenced by their close and intimate relations and environment. One intervention program that can be implemented to limit crime in such circumstances can be based on the broken window theory. This theory has been implemented in New Jersey in 1970s and proved to be successful and workable. Following the same line I recommend that implementing this program of not neglecting a tiny act of crime can result in limiting the vandalism common in the transitional or concentric zones nation wide. The authorities might need to focus on the areas with highest juvenile crime records and implement the program sequentially. I believe that consistency and honesty while implanting this intervention can successfully limit the crime rate as the focused group- the youth can just as easily be intimidated as influenced by behaviour. Development of an area will bring in a feeling of belonging among the residents and most of them would want to participate.
Studies on the prevention of Juvenile delinquencies have shown that stronger institutions play a major role in positively influencing the youth. Social institutions such as the schools and colleges, religious institutions such as church etc can play a positive role in addressing these issues and invoking a positive sense among people of same community. After school and vocational program, behavioural training, monitoring and mentoring can be best performed through these institutions. Teachers can be the role models and can involve students especially those with behavioural or family issues into productive activities and social awareness programs. These institutions can also make students feel responsibility and civic sense through these activities and vocational trainings. A famous book “Salvage Realities” by Robert Dawkins pointed out that the structural difference among the urban and rural schools is the basic reason for the difference in the law and order situations as well. Thus enabling the rural and suburban schools to have stricter policies and curriculum improving the capabilities and discipline of the students can also help these vulnerable youngsters in having better perspectives of life.
Most of these crimes are due to the fact that people do not feel themselves a part of that community, a stronger sense of community and a shared sense of value and morals can assist the young adults to differentiate between rights and wrongs while making a decision. These social institutions can also improve the bonding between the family members. Family events and occasions have always been considered a good way of interaction and connection. Similarly, arranging special sessions focused to improve communication and feelings between families while discussing their troubles as well as their joys can overcome misunderstanding and communication gaps. These family therapy programs have been implemented previously as well but the efforts have been contained. However the need of time is a widely implemented solution. I recommend that the family therapy programs should be sponsored by the community and government authorities, through the healthcare facilities or the social institutions. Alternatively, schools and religious institutions can arrange such therapy through collaborative activities involving trainers/counselees, parents, children and social agencies providing development activities for youth. These joint activities or social work is believed to drop down stress and anxiety levels among people, the basic reason behind the negative attitude of people.
The increasing rate of crime is a signal of bad governance, thus special efforts are needed from the local or state authorities. Some states and cities have dropped the number of street crimes and drug related crimes by arranging late night recreational and sports activities within the transitional areas. These activities involve and engage the youngsters and provide not only a means of releasing frustration but also act as a restricting factor to engage in felonious acts.
Conclusion
There are various theories and studies conducted for understanding the factors that urge a child or a teenager to commit crime. Different sociological, psychological or criminological views exist however each one believes in some way that the surroundings and the environment a child is brought up in is responsible to define their behaviour. Thus in order to control or prevent the occurrence of this phenomena it is important to provide a health and nurturing environments for children during their early years, often termed as building blocks. The prevention of crime and especially the juvenile crime needs result oriented and collective efforts from government, social authorities, schools and people. Juvenile offenders are the most vulnerable beings as they experience too much too early and usually involve in felonious act as a way of returning what they receive from their surroundings. It is of utmost importance that these youngsters are prevented as early as possible before they commit real crimes and are incarcerated as there is now way back from prison. Education, developmental training and counselling can invoke positivity and a sense of civic responsibility among these children additionally the warmth and bonding of family has proven to be a major factor in preventing people from engaging in unlawful behaviour. Prevention techniques that focus on building blocks can prove better results.
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