Juvenile Delinquency

Juvenile Delinquency

Barker (2008) defines juvenile delinquency as a pattern of anti-social behavior by people age 21 and younger that would be regarded as criminal in nature if committed by adults (p.235). Juveniles often exhibit problems with self-control. According to Delisi et al (2010), an individual's self-control is the outcome of parental socialization occurring in the first 10 years of life. There are many characteristics associated with juvenile self- control. They tend to (1) seek immediate gratification opposed to delayed gratification; (2) they prefer easy tasks and dislike activities that require persistence, tenacity, and diligence; (3) they engage in risky behaviors with no caution; (4) fail to see the long term benefits of investing in social institutions; (5) and are unkind, insensitive, and hot-tempered (p.32). This paper will explore the risk factors, the range of prevention and treatment services for juveniles in the criminal justice system. A theory of self control in regards to juvenile delinquency will also be discussed.

There are two different categories of juvenile offenders: the juvenile that commits a violation of the criminal statue and the juvenile that commits an act that violates a law or ordinance designed to regulate the behavior of the juvenile because of the age or status (Downs et al. 2009, p.443). In the first subgroup, juveniles commit murder, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. The second subgroup of delinquents commits offenses such as burglary, larceny, theft, drug possession, and sexual offenses (Downs, Moore, & McFadden, 2009). Many of the crimes that juveniles commit are called status offenses, which are: truancy from home and school, failure to obey parental commands, and violating curfew. There is much controversy on how status offenses should be handled among the policy makers. Some people believe that status offenses should be the parents' responsibility. The policy makers believe that juveniles who commit status offenses should be removed from juvenile court to a community based services. Downs et al (2009), identifies the risk factors for delinquency, within the community, the family, the school, and the individual that contribute to problematic behaviors of substance abuse, delinquency, teenage pregnancy, school dropout, and violence".

Richards (2011), states that juveniles are more frequently apprehended by the police when committing crimes on property, than on other people. Some of the reasons juveniles get the attention of the police are: shoplifting, vandalism, graffiti, and fare evasion (p.3). Some risk factors for juvenile delinquency are the community- drugs, firearms, and economic deprivation, family- history of problem behavior, conflict within the family, and parental attitudes, school- anti social behavior, academic failure, and lack of commitment, Peer/individual- alienation, rebellion,