Juvenile Delinquency

Kamran ishfaqPhd Scholar Sociology, University of Peshawar, Pakistan

Social Welfare OfficerThe Children’s Hospital & the Institute of Child Health

Multan, Pakistan

Juvenile Delinquency:

Juvenile delinquency is one of the most important serious problems of the society. It is almost an outcome of rapid urbanization and industrialization of modern times.

A large number of children moving form rural areas to cities or living in slum areas in cities are found to be highly vulnerable to this process.

This has almost become a universal problem in most of the industrialized countries.

Meaning & Definitions of Juvenile Delinquency:

Delinquency is a kind of abnormality. when an individual deviates from the course of normal social life, his behavior is called ‘delinquency’.

When a juvenile below an age specified under a statute exhibits behavior which may prove to be dangerous to society, he may be called ‘juvenile delinquent’.

Definition:

“Abnormal or antisocial behavior by a juvenile who is below an age specified by statute”.

Running away from home

Runaway children

Wandering on streets, railway stations,roads etc.

Bad company

Who is a Juvenile Delinquent:

Juvenile delinquents are those offenders including boys and girls who are normally under 16 year of age.

A juvenile delinquent is a young person incorrigible or habitual disobedient.

Act of delinquency may include:

i. Running away from home without permission of parents.

ii. Habitual truancy beyond the control of parents.

iii. Use of vulgar language.

iv. Wandering rail, roads, streets, market places.

v. Visiting gambling centers.

vi. Committing sexual offenders.

vii. Shop lifting.

viii. Stealing etc.

Juveniles may do such activities singly or through a gang.

Causes of Juvenile Delinquency:

According to Healy & Bronner the cause of juvenile delinquency are:

i. Bad company.

ii. Mental conflicts.

iii. Love of adventure.

iv. School dissatisfaction.

v. Poor recreation.

vi. Street life.

vii.Vocational dissatisfaction.

The causes of juvenile delinquency may be classified under two major factors:

a) Social Factor.

b) Personality Factor.

a) Social Factor favoring juvenile delinquency:

Broken homes.

Poverty.

Delinquency areas.

Companion & Gangs.

Begging.

Other Social or environmental factors:

a) School dissatisfaction.

b) Film and pornography literature.

b) Personal or Individual factors:

• Mental deficiency in delinquency

It has been observed that good number of delinquents are mentally deficient.

• Emotional problems of individuals.

Mental troubles and emotional maladjustments are strong factor in delinquency. Delinquents are not born so, but they become so due to social circumstances and personal deficiencies.

Thus it may be said that juvenile delinquency is the result of both social or environmental and personal or individual factors.

Remedies for Juvenile Delinquency:

It is known that the delinquent child of today may turn out to be a chronic criminals tomorrow.

Discussions, debates and studies have been made at the national as well as international levels by scholars to seek out effective remedy for this problem.

Two methods have been suggested to deal with this problems:

a) Preventive method.

b) rehabilitative method.

Preventive Measures.

In order to prevent the juvenile delinquency following measures may be suggested.

• Creating a team at government as well as private level for the prevention.

• Giving proper training to the members and staff of all organizations concerned with delinquency control.

• Establishing child guidance clinics or give appropriate treatment to the distributed and maladjusted children.

• Educate to the families to realize the importance of giving proper attention to the needs of their young children.

• Improving the social environment, slum areas, busy markets places etc.

Rehabilitative method.

• Legislative measures.

• Borstal schools.