Juvenile delinquency has been a crime since time immemorial, and it still exists to date. It is a surprise, and many people fail to understand how juveniles commit murder. Juvenile delinquency has been appearing in the wake of the Cultural Revolution, and it has become a serious problem arousing our concern in our societies today. Research has been ongoing ever since the emergence of such crimes, and different scholars have come up with different answers on the matter. Researchers have especially been trying to figure out the causal agents of juvenile delinquency since it is believed that there are some factors behind the matter.
Children who murder have factors that make them do such things (Bartollas, 2017). The causes driving these children to commit murder cannot be grouped into one single source but involve several factors altogether. This paper seeks to show that juvenile delinquency is not only affected by a child’s behavior but also depends on such factors as sociological perspectives, biological factors, and environmental factors.
Multiple Causes of Juvenile Delinquency
Juvenile offenders are often grouped into one large group of juvenile criminals, but in reality, they are different in all cases. The juveniles are different, and what causes or triggers them to commit crimes is vividly different. Even though some kinds of crimes they commit can directly be connected to life issues, it is not a guarantee that this is the cause of all of them. Many children can be exposed to almost the same life issues or, rather, a problem that made a juvenile commit murder, but not all will make the same decision to commit murder (Bartollas, 2017). It, therefore, clearly shows that there are other factors involved in the whole thing happening and not only life experiences. Such factors as environmental factors, biological factors, natural factors, and physical factors are believed to be in play.
Interaction of Biological and Environmental Influences
Research done in the past on the development of a normal child and the emergence of delinquent behaviors shows that social, individual, and community conditions, alongside their interactions in the ecological niche, influence their behaviors. There is no overruling of the idea that children’s behavior, including delinquent behavior, is all a result of some complex interplay of a person’s biological, genetic, and environmental factors, which begins during fetal development and continues throughout one’s life (Shoemaker, 2017). As biologists say, genes influence biological development. However, biological development only happens in the presence of an environment. Hence, environmental input is part of a child’s eventual behavior.
Risk Exposure and Developmental Outcomes
The majority of young men and women grow from birth to adulthood without getting involved in delinquent acts despite the multiple risks of committing such actions in their lives. Risk factors from the environment are very important since they help determine the kind of child we may have, and from the analysis, it is determined whether a child needs preventive interventions. Through the analysis of child behavior, one can identify those who may end up becoming chronic offenders in the community. It is believed that most adult criminals got involved in some delinquent acts or showed delinquent behavior when they were young.
However, the hypothesis proves to be a mere fallacy, as most of them do not grow to become criminals later in life. Similarly, most chronically delinquent juveniles are always exposed to numerous risk factors at different levels, making them commit crimes. However, many children are exposed to the risk factors, too, but they do not become chronic delinquents. Additionally, individual risk factors that one may claim only contribute to a negligible percentage of the risk (Shoemaker, 2017). However, there is no denying the fact that the more a child is exposed to such risks in his or her life, the higher the likelihood of committing a crime.
Limits of Delinquency Research
The diversity of the outcomes of the risk factors and the literature on them makes their study difficult. Some people carry out studies that focus mainly on certain behaviors using analytical methods for behavioral disorders or belligerent behaviors, considering aggressive behaviors deeply, even though others mainly depend on juvenile court referrals. Moreover, various risk factors and their consequences at some points are more significant at given stages of adolescent growth than at others. Most of the literature that has examined juvenile delinquency in the past is primarily grounded in longitudinal studies of predominantly white boys (Shoemaker, 2017). Most of the experimental samples were cautiously selected from surroundings that exposed children to high risks. A lot of care is taken when the literature is generalized to girls and minorities in the general population. Much has been learned concerning antisocial and delinquent behavior.
Individual-Level Risk Factors
Several individual factors have been related to juvenile delinquency among children associated with such cases. The individual factors that are related to juvenile delinquency include gender, age, complications related to birth and even the pregnancy period, aggressiveness, a child’s impulsivity, and substance abuse. Research shows that some factors resulting in juvenile delinquency point back to right before the birth of a child (Sykes & Matza, 2017). These biological factors are related to the pregnancy period, during the birth of a child, and moments after birth, which are perinatal factors. These biological factors are evident at various stages of a child right from birth.
Age has been found to be very critical in juvenile delinquency, as there is an established age at which these issues begin showing up in the life of a child as he grows. The study of criminology has consistently shown that most offenders begin at a given age. It all begins in preadolescence or, at times, in the early adolescence period, and it reaches the peak in the late adolescent period and falls through young adulthood. Criminological research on age in relation to criminals shows that law-breaking at a given time during adolescence is relatively universal among the majority of American children (Sykes & Matza, 2017). However, this behavior is mild and temporary. Statistics from research done on a sample of boys in London show that their susceptibility to delinquent behavior begins at ten years and goes up to 17 years. Susceptibility to these acts decreases and probably ends at 24. Females, on the other hand, demonstrated a peak in violence that leads to delinquency in mid-adolescence. This study of the sample boys and girls continued through adulthood and proved that only 25% of the children continued their delinquent acts into adulthood and that men are more susceptible to delinquent acts than girls.
Studies also prove that there is an association between perinatal and prenatal problems and delinquency or, rather, criminal behaviors. The studies show that prenatal and perinatal risks represent a host of latent and overt conditions that affect the subsequent development of a child. Prenatal and perinatal are words used to describe heterogeneous forms of clinical and latent conditions. Prenatal and perinatal factors include things such as premature birth, being overweight, and such complications (Sykes & Matza, 2017). Children who experience either of these prenatal and perinatal conditions have a high likelihood of developing delinquent behavior when they grow up in an environment that subjects them to such risks. Measures also show that males who might have suffered perinatal or prenatal complications are more likely to become criminals than girls since they are vulnerable to stress. Problems like hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and attention problems are related to perinatal and prenatal complications, and, on the other hand, children with such traits are commonly associated with delinquency.
Social Factors
Children’s interaction with people and their peers influences the growth of delinquency and belligerent conduct (Bartollas, 2017). Domestic relations are always very vital in early childhood development, but some of them may have long-term effects on their lives, and during adolescence after childhood, the interaction of a child with peers is essential since these may or may not lead to delinquency. When the child in his development finds the factors in the family favorable, his or her peers’ influence will be the final determining factor. When both the family and peer influence factors favor delinquent acts, the child will be delinquent.
Parents are guaranteed the sole responsibility of guiding their children and raising them according to the morals and rules of society. Having been given this responsibility, they have to ensure children grow up with moral behaviors. It is, therefore, unquestionable that families with complications in how to raise a family risk the possibility of raising children with delinquent behaviors. Family structure is very critical as well when it comes to juvenile delinquency. Research shows that families headed by single parents suffer complications in raising their children according to moral standards (Shoemaker, 2017). Because the single parent is unable to provide the moral ground for children’s development, especially when the parent does not have a clear answer to why the partner is missing, these children have high chances of developing delinquent acts in their lifetime. They develop to become antisocial in the community and possess a high possibility of becoming juvenile delinquents.
The environment in which a family lives limits opportunities in one way or another. Some communities have access to public transport in case the family does not own an automobile, and there are wide opportunities in the job market, as well as entertainment that extends the boundaries. However, in other communities, the common sight of street-corner gatherings opens up the possibility of illegal activities (Bartollas, 2017). The moment opportunities are lacking in a community, frustration arises, and in doing so, youths must find an alternative to replace what is missing to succeed. Statistics show that there is a high relationship between unemployment, disruption of households, housing density, poverty, and crime. In such environments where there are no opportunities, children are exposed to negative peer influences from unemployed peers, and by these, they become more exposed to crime and, hence, juvenile delinquency. However, proper parenting with consistent guidance can protect children from delinquency despite the type of neighborhood they come from, but poor socialization seems to be potent in neighborhoods that are disrupted. One can, therefore, conclude that family life influences delinquency in various ways. Children from affectionate and more consistent parents are likely to become criminals as both juveniles and adults. On the other hand, children with neglectful parents will always be affected by the environment. When the environment harbors criminals, these children become more likely to be criminals, and when the community is good, they will conform to the good environment around them and become good.
Drug abuse is related to criminal activities. Abuse of substances hinders the functionality of the mind. The moment a young man or woman starts taking drugs, the chances are high that he or she will get involved in criminal activities. Drugs make them lose concentration and awareness that committing a crime is a punishable act (Sykes & Matza, 2017). Among the risks they are exposed to, substance abuse poses a great danger for juvenile crime. Regarding peer influence, delinquency is shared among both males and females. Some research carried out in Michigan shows that out of the three delinquent acts committed in the Harley area, two of them were the same, showing that the act was shared by the person who did it first, and that is how peers influence others to commit crimes.
Preventive Factors
Probation of juveniles has been a strategy used by the juvenile justice system to help contain them in society. It is used as a sanction for juveniles who are adjudicated in the courts, and its main aim is always to divert the status of these juvenile offenders from the court system. Communities also use probation to monitor the risks youths are exposed to and prevent the progression of these risks to behaviors that are more dangerous (Bartollas, 2017). Probation helps a lot in restraining children from crimes.
Law enforcement police have also used the Police Athlete League to help these youths reduce the idle time that may make them get involved in crimes. PAL policy is a kind of adolescent misconduct deterrence platform that uses athletic, educational, and even recreational events to create confidence and understanding between the police and children. This initiative in the United States aims at reaching out to youths at a younger age so that they are not misled and, lastly, get involved in criminal activities. The program makes them develop a positive attitude towards the police throughout their lives so that they mature as good citizens of the United States. It brings the youths under supervision by the police and the positive influence of the law enforcement agency (Shoemaker, 2017). Through this, the youths are guided, and they get to know the responsible values and attitudes their parents instill in them. This program, after research, proved that when a child respects the police on a football pitch or even in a gym, the youth is likely to respect the rule of law and never imagine breaking it. Big Brother/Sister is also another organization, and through it, children have the opportunity to reach their potential with the help of mentors who have voluntarily agreed to guide them. This youth mentoring organization also helps the youths so that they do not become idle and engage in crimes.
Conclusion
There has been an increase in the number of young boys and girls presented by the police for questioning in courts of law due to delinquent behaviors. It is even surprising that some of the crimes include murder. Some people believe these kinds of activities depend on the child individually. However, there are factors that make this happen, and it is not just one factor. Through parental guidance, these crimes committed by children can be reduced. Organizations like Big Brother/Sister can also increase their reach to ensure children are properly guided. PAL should also extend its services to reach those children who are still out there committing crimes and help them.
References
Bartollas, C., Schmalleger, F., & Turner, M. G. (2017). Juvenile delinquency. Pearson.
Shoemaker, D. J. (2017). Juvenile delinquency. Rowman & Littlefield.
Sykes, G. M., & Matza, D. (2017). Juvenile delinquency and subterranean values. In Delinquency and Drift Revisited, Volume 21 (pp. 61-71). Routledge.
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