Adolescence and Juvenile Delinquency Essay - 534 Words

I think its important for us as a society to remember that the youth within juvenile justice systems are, most of the time, youths who simply havent had the right mentors and supporters around them - because of circumstances beyond their control. -- Qorianka Kilcher -- Websters New Collegiate Dictionary (1980) defines adolescence as the state or process of growing up; even more specifically, adolescence is also defined as the period of life from puberty to maturity terminating legally at the age of majority. Looking back on their adolescence, adults often conjure up grand memories, and laugh at their mistakes. Adolescence is a period in life that everyone must survive in order to become an adult, although some go†¦show more content†¦Juvenile Delinquency is defined by Websters as a status in a juvenile characterized by antisocial behavior that is beyond parental control and therefore subject to legal action as well as a violation of the law committed by a juvenile and not punishable by death or life imprisonment. In short, juvenile delinquency involves any criminal behavior committed by a minor. There is no question that there has been an increase in delinquent behavior since the days of our parents adolescence. Activities such as rolling neighbors houses, egging mailboxes/windows, or graffiti on park benches has been replaced by more serious activities such as spray painting buildings, breaking and entering, or even early drug use. Todays juveniles do not seem to fear, or even respect authority as previous generations have. Lack of discipline in the home and a much more tolerant society is not help to a steadily increasing juvenile delinquency rate. An unstable home environment can draw teenagers to join gangs or engage in premarital sex, to name just a couple of acting out behaviors. Children need to be taught at an early age not only the difference between right and wrong, but also the positive results attained from practicing respect and moral values. If parental guidance fails, or if an adolescent veers too far off the path, then usually outside forces will step in to the situation. Parens Patriae is literally defined asShow MoreRelated Adolescence and Juvenile Delinquency Essay1644 Words   |  7 PagesI couldnt begin to cover all the possible reasons that may cause an adolescent to become a juvenile delinquent. During my research, I found that the term juvenile delinquency is defined a number of ways. Mosbys Medical Nursing, and Allied Health Dictionary summed up juvenile delinquency best with this definition; resistant antisocial, illegal, or criminal behavior by children or adolescents to the degree that it cannot be controlled or corrected by the parents, endangers others inRead MoreJuvenile Delinquency And The Social Control Theory940 Words   |  4 PagesJuvenile delinquency is very prevalent especially among adolescents because studies have shown that during the time of adolescence that is when delinquency tends to increase and once adolescence has passed at about 17 years of age then it tends to decrease (Adolescent Delinquency, 2002). There are many factors that can contribute to the increase of delinquency during adolescence, some of the factors can be personality, mental disorders, genetics, economic status, environment, family, and cultureRead MoreThe Relationship Between Social Class and Delinquency Essays1498 Words   |  6 Pagespreconceived notions regarding the relationship between social class and delinquency. A common assumption is that lower-class juveniles are more likely to engage in delinquent behavior than their higher-class counterparts. Criminologists have performed a la rge number of studies examining the socio-demographic characteristics of delinquents, which often yielded contradictory results. When analyzing the extent and trend of juvenile delinquency in the United States conclusions can be drawn from estimates derivedRead MoreThe General Strain Theory Of Female Delinquency1253 Words   |  6 Pagestheories. A major theory used to explain female delinquency is the general strain theory (GST). According to Bartollas, â€Å"GST explains female delinquency by contending that many females experience harsh discipline, parental rejection, peer abuse, negative secondary school experience, homelessness, and a strong need for money;† these strains can cause females to cope through delinquent behavior (73). The social learning theory also explains female delinquency as â€Å"some females tend to associate with othersRead MoreThe Concept Of Labeling Of Juvenile Delinquents By Members Of Their Society1733 Words   |  7 PagesUnit 5 DB 1 The Interactionist Approach We are beginning to see more than often, labeling of juvenile delinquents by members of their society. The term labeling theory explains how labeling tends to applied members of society, whether it is formally or informally, and the type of effect these labeling can have on juveniles and deterrence. Akers Sellers, (2009), Bernard, Snipes, Gerould, (2010), states that the labeling theorists assert that society creates deviance by creating laws, and theyRead MoreEnvironmental Factors Of Juvenile Delinquency988 Words   |  4 PagesKnowing this, what environmental factors cause juvenile delinquency? â€Å"Each year, approximately 1.5 million adolescents are arrested in the United States, most are repeat offenders, and, in 2008 one in eight violent crimes was attributed to juveniles† (Leverso, Bielby, Hoelter, 2015, p 1). Understanding the environmental causes of juvenile delinquency allows society to better protect children from becoming offenders. This then can reduce the n umber of juvenile delinquents in the United States. Key wordsRead MoreDistinguishing Between Some Criminological Terms894 Words   |  4 PagesDistinguishing Criminological Terms Juvenile delinquency refers specifically to the criminal activity of youth. Juvenile delinquency includes committing crimes and participation in other forms of illegal activities. Across the world, the existing legal systems have different sets of punishments and penalties for juvenile delinquency versus being tried as an adult. (Loeber, 1990) In many countries, the age when individuals are no longer classified as juveniles as may be tried for crimes as adultsRead MoreReducing The Rate Of Reoccurring Offenses For Juvenile Offenders731 Words   |  3 Pagesrate of reoccurring offenses for juvenile offenders is directly related to understanding the factors that increase the recidivism rates for this age group: the origins of the offenders, the behavior problems and causes, the adjudication process, and the type of offense committed. Aalsma, M., White, L., Lau, K., Perkins, A., Monahan, P., Grisso, T. (2015). Behavioral Health Care Needs, Detention-Based Care, and Criminal Recidivism at Community Reentry From Juvenile Detention: A Multisite SurvivalRead MoreJuvenile Delinquency1154 Words   |  5 PagesA traumatic childhood may predispose a child to violence against themselves or against others, in adolescence or adulthood. This information is and has been off the records, but so far no known relationship between the magnitude of traumatic experiences and different forms of violence at puberty. A study published in Pediatrics, which involved 136,549 U.S. students between 12 and 17 has been commissioned to evaluate this relationship. The researchers sought to determine six adverse experiences forRead MoreBreaking Down the Walls of Delinquency1685 Words   |  7 Pagesexplore how family life influences juvenile delinquency. Juveniles are more likely to become juvenile delinquents if there is little structure pro vided for them in their families. Children who are rejected by their parents, who grow up in homes with considerable conflict, or who are inadequately supervised are at the greatest risk of becoming delinquent. Literature reviews, focused on the relationship between child abuse and juvenile delinquency, indicate that juvenile delinquents are often products