The Three Factors Of Juvenile Delinquency

The contributing factors to juvenile crime may include poor education performances, poor upbringing, substance abuse, disadvantaged socioeconomic status, low school

Researches have continuously tried to explain why people commit crime and engage in juvenile delinquency. Over the past century, many theories have emerged and been adopted as the main contributing factors for why juveniles engage in deviant behaviors. Some theories, such as

Determining risk factors is essential for establishing programs for youth to keep them from committing crimes that introduce them to the juvenile justice system. Additionally, successful programs can keep youth from re-entering the system for committing further offenses. Statistics show that there is a correlation between juvenile delinquency and the living conditions in which the youth are being raised (http://www.rikidscount.org). The Rhode Island Kids Count website, which provides independent, credible, comprehensive statistical information about Rhode Island's children, identify some risk factors for a youth’s involvement in the juvenile justice system to include cognitive impairments, learning disabilities, abuse or neglect, living in communities with high levels of violence, and having associations with other delinquent youth. (http://www.rikidscount.org). A teen’s social environment is very influential on their behaviors. This environment includes their school life with peers, their social life with friends, and their home life with their families. While parents are the first and arguably the most important influence on children, peers and friends play a large role as well. Substance abuse and lack of moral guidance have been shown to factor into youth displays of delinquent behaviors as well, according to the Criminology Resource Center at Regis University (2016). Children

(2013). Retrieved April 02, 2017, from https://www.nap.edu/read/9747/chapter/5 This book talks about the development of delinquency and the stages and factors that go into each juvenile becoming a delinquent. Some of these being individual risk factors. Some of these include age, parental factors, environmental factors, gender, and more.

The 1993 film, Menace II Society is an American crime drama that depicts the lives of two urban teenagers living in Watts, Los Angeles. It illustrates the day-to-day illegal activities of young adolescents’ such as their involvement in committing various acts of delinquent activity. Additionally, the film focuses on the struggle that young urban youth especially boys go through everyday such as racial profiling and gang affiliation. The opening scene shows Caine and his best friend Kevin entering a local corner store to buy malt liquor. However, as the two friends were talking, two racist Korean storeowners were eyeing them suspiciously.

In addition to character traits, environmental factors are a huge contributor to delinquent behavior. Environmental factors include parenting, peers, mental illness, neighborhoods, education and more. A 25 year-long study proved that inadequate schooling/ education is connected to juvenile delinquency. One of the discoveries from the study showed the following: “A 25 year-long study consisting of 1,500 children in low-income inner-city Chicago neighborhoods found that children who attended a high-quality preschool were 28% less likely to develop drug problems or be incarcerated in adulthood. Additionally, they were 22% less likely to be arrested for a felony and 24% more likely to attend a four-year college.” (Contributing Factors, 2016).

Criminal behavior is not something researchers have been able to pin point the cause of indefinitely, as there are several theories and ideas of what may lead to criminal behavior. My original thoughts can be summed up to say children's upbringing by their parents and the interactions of negative peer groups within school are underlying causes of criminal behavior. I believe these thoughts, after learning specific criminology theories, are most related to the work of Travis Hirschi’s Social Bonding Theory. Social bonding theory takes the relationships and goals an individual has and examines whether these positive or negative bonds within a relationship or concerning a goal influences criminal behavior. Within my paper I will

Juvenile Delinquency theories stem from an array of individual, social and environmental conditions, in so labeling certain causes as to why juveniles commit criminal acts. Juveniles are identified as minors-under the age of 18, in which are treated separately for criminal offenses. In the film Kids, delinquent behavior is constantly demonstrated throughout the progression of the film. The film depicts a group of sexually active teenagers in New York City. Many of the characters exhibited at-risk concerns: substance abuse and early sexuality, in which directly correlates an increase in delinquent behavior. Therefore, this paper will further analyze and link four specific theories of juvenile delinquency in the film.

Juvenile delinquency is a threat to society and accordingly, the need to develop an understanding of the deviant behavior is of an utmost importance. There are several theories that explain delinquency and collectively, they provide a greater understanding for administrators and policy makers that are essential in developing programs and treatments that reduce juvenile delinquency and minimize its impact on our societies. This paper will discuss two prominent theories, the choice theory and the learning theories

Studies of crime seek to explore how crime and delinquency are distributed through many variables such as family circumstances, activities, and gender. This literature review aims to analyze juvenile delinquency through these variables from research done in three specific articles. It was found that some of these variables have a direct affect on the amount of juvenile delinquency while others need further research for a conclusive answer to be found. Although theses are not all of the factors affecting juvenile delinquency, it is a representative compilation of research supporting my hypothesis.

Characteristically, juvenile delinquency follows a similar path just like normal adolescent development and children tend to follow delinquent and criminal behavior rather than engaging in it randomly. Research has shown that there are two types of delinquents, those in whom the onset of severe antisocial behavior begins in early childhood, and those in whom this onset coincides with entry into adolescence. With either type, these developmental paths give families, communities, and systems the opportunity to intervene and prevent the onset of antisocial behaviors and justice system involvement (APA, 2017).

Over the years, countless efforts have been made to find a comprehensive explanation for delinquency. The results of these efforts have offered possible reasons as being both biological and social. It is still debatable as to what forces have the greatest influence on youth crime, but it is undoubted that several factors clearly make an impact. The direct relationships a child has with concrete social elements, like his family and friends, are likely to give some intimation of his involvement in crime. However, it must be noted that there are more abstract contexts for socialization that also exist as potential explanations for a child’s behavior.

Juvenile offending is a major problem in society. Understanding the risk factors that contribute to the increased likelihood of a juvenile to engage in delinquency is important. There are many factors that can influence the increased risk of juvenile delinquency. These factors include poverty, low socioeconomic status, age (Jarjoura, Triplett, & Brinker, 2002), race, gender (Lucero, Barret, & Jensen, 2015), education (Lucero, Barret, & Jensen, 2015; Jarjoura, 1993), and family structure (Anderson, 2002; Kierkus & Hewitt, 2009). It is important to examine if some risk factors can contribute more than others and to what extent they interact with one another. This paper will discuss three important risk factors that contribute to the likelihood of juveniles engaging in deviant acts. The three risk factors discussed are poverty, family structure, and educational attainment. In addition, this paper will demonstrate how these three risk factors interact with one another, resulting in a higher propensity for involvement in juvenile delinquency.

Juvenile crime had a strong uprising when conditions within the society got worse. Research over the past few decades on normal child development and development on delinquent behavior has shown that individual, social, and community conditions and interactions influence behavior(McCord). This says that in bad environments in the community the children that live there are more likely to be an individual with juvenile delinquency. “‘Clearly, genes affect biological development, but there is no biological development without environmental input,” Bock and Goode” (McCord, 66). This quote says that environmental interaction develops kids, so kids that interact with a bad environment can end up in a worse position than other kids [what other kids? Kids from a good environment? - JMH]. The age can influence whether or not a child will be a juvenile delinquent. Studies of criminal activity by age constantly find that rates of offending begin to rise in pre-adolescence or early adulthood(McCord). This says that juvenile crime usually starts when the children are teens or entering their puberty years. This can be a big deal because that age is usually when kids are influenced more easily. “The percentage of boys who self-reported serious delinquent behavior rose from 5 percent at age 6 to about 18 percent at age 16 for whites and 27 percent for blacks at age 16.” Loeber (McCord,68). This says that delinquent behavior and crime rose for each race at the age of 16. The family influence also plays a big role for a child if the child is going to be a delinquent or not. When families have difficulties with the task laid on them, the product often is a juvenile delinquent.(McCord) This says that parents with no care in how their child ends up will have their child become a juvenile delinquent.

The social environment of teens holds an enormous influence on how the teens act and behave. Teens are easily influenced by their surroundings and they look to others for guidance. Their behavior results from that of the parent and peer influences. Parents play a particularly influential role in their child’s life and it is up to them to make sure that they are leading their sons or daughters in the right directions. A teen’s peers also play a large role in how the teen behaves when the parents are not around. A teen’s social environment, consisting of family and peers, plays a vital role in their life, therefore becoming the ultimate cause of juvenile delinquency.