Juvenile Crime in the USA - Assignment Example

 Juvenile Crime in the USA In Denver, Colorado, Columbine High School students Eric Harris, eighteen, and Dylan Klebold, seventeen, opened fire on students and teachers on April 20, 1999. They entered the school in full-length black coats to hide their weapons, a semiautomatic handgun, a rifle, and two shotguns. The two boys killed fifteen people including themselves on that tragic day. This story makes us think with sadness what made these two teenagers did this. Juvenile Crime was and stills an issue in the United States at least in the last five decades(when the government established special laws for Juvenile ). It's really sad to see youthful members of the society adopting violent behaviors and getting involved in criminal activities. There are many factors generate this problem; for examples: Media, Friends, and violent Video Game. However, many people agree that it's start from home. Single Parenthood, Domestic violent and Child abuse, and bad parenting are some of major causes of juvenile crime and violence. "It is the tasks connected with the home that are the fundamental tasks of humanity ... if the mother does not do her duty, there will either be no next generation, or a next generation that is worse than none at all." (The 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt) Mother plays a crucial role in her child’s life. Mothers play the most part in raising the kids. Her role can be three quarters of parenting. Nevertheless, the role they play prior the birth. Nobody can substitute her. She bonded with her kids from the early days of pregnancy to a very late age. She teaches her kids the norms and right behaviors. Father's role is complement to mother's role and yet very important. Father is the person whom the child admired and looks up to as an ideal. Father's company gives the profound feeling of protection. Father is the one whom the son needs in life-school. From life experience, fathers usually want their sons and daughters to live better life than his. This research gives an overview of the history of family and home constrictions' development in the last three centuries. It also includes statistics about the juvenile crime in the United States. This paper discusses how the violent behavior starts from home and the affects of Single parenthood, Domestic violent and child abuse, and Bad parenting. This research includes a survey among Miami Police Officers about this problem. Finally it concluded with some suggestions on how to prevent and protect the teens. History of juvenile crime Juvenile crimes started to catch the attention of the public from the nineteenth century onwards. Before that children were prosecuted in adult courts if they commit serious crimes. There was no segregation between juvenile crimes and adult crimes before the 19 th century. “By the nineteenth century, most states had created separate work farms and reform schools for convicted children. In 1899 the U.S. made legal history when the world's first juvenile court opened in Chicago” (Juvenile Law – History) The changing relationships within the family and society are one of the major reasons for increase in juvenile crimes. Family construction was entirely different during the 19 th and the early half of the 20 th century. The parents were respected by the children and on the other hand parents provided immense care and attention to the children during that period. But the latter half of the 20 th century and the beginning of the 21 st century has witnessed several changes in family relationships. Most of the parents started to concentrate more on their professional commitments and social responsibilities by leaving their children behind unnoticed and uncared. Children during their early stages definitely need the attention of their parents for their physical and mental developments and the reluctance of the parents in looking after their children contributed heavily to the juvenile crimes. (Office of Justice Programs) From the above graph it is clear that the juvenile crime rates were started to increase from 1960 onwards. Between 1975 and 1985 it was almost steady, but there after it again started to increase and reached its peak around 1997. Form then onwards it started to decline and at present is almost steady. (Snyder) “Based on the FBI’s Supplemental Homicide Report (SHR) data, 15,530 persons were murdered in the U.S. in 1999—the lowest number since 1969. Between 1980 and 1999, most victims of murders involving juvenile offenders were male (83%)” (Snyder) The causes of Juvenile Crimes and violence "Children who grow up with only one parent are at increased risk of becoming juvenile criminals because these children frequently receive less adult supervision and may not form strong human attachments during infancy, they may not develop empathy and self-control " (Morse, p. 32). Single parenthood is described as the major cause for increasing juvenile crimes and violence. In America, the divorce rate is one of the highest in the world and it goes on increasing day by day. Moreover, the percentage of adults who lost belief in marriage and family life is also increasing. Youths are more interested in having a sexual relationship without the tie up of a marriage at present which increases the chances of single parent. A child definitely needs the care of both his father and mother in order to make him a good citizen of the country. Father provides the necessary control for preventing the child from engage in antisocial behaviors whereas the mother provides the necessary care and love to the children for their proper emotional and psychological development. The absence of either of the two may result in juveniles derailing from the mainstreams of their public life. Domestic violence and child abuses are another reason for the increased juvenile crime rates. “Domestic abuse, also known as spousal abuse, occurs when one person in an intimate relationship or marriage tries to dominate and control the other person. Domestic abuse that includes physical violence is called domestic violence” (Domestic Violence and Abuse). Children often visualize their parents as idols for their future life. They always kept a close look at the activities of their parents in order to imitate them. Domestic abuse forces them to think that there is nothing wrong in engage in some kind of violence s they have witnessed in their family or home. Child abuse is also a factor of major concern in America. The abuse of children for sexual activities creates vengeance in the minds of the children which they will reflect in the form of violence in future. These kinds of influences due to domestic violence and child abuse may not reflect in the child’s activities immediately. But such things would inherit or prolong in the minds of the children which may grow along with their physical and mental developments and will attain fearful propositions later in their life. Bad parenting also develops dissatisfaction in the minds of the children. Parents often neglect the needs of their children for the sake of their other social and workplace commitments. As per the current trends most of the American children forced to spend their majority of life in the day care centers in order to pave way for their parents’ professional commitments. Profession is valued more than their children by many of the parents in America. Profession will use up a heavy toll of their energy and the parents may not get enough time to look after their children even at their home because of physical and mental fatigue. Thus the children may fail to get enough love, care and attention from their parents which would make them violent in nature later. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a big problem in America at present. Protection of teens from violent behavior Parents need to be educated well with respect to their duties and responsibilities as parents. They must realize that the primary duty of a parent is to grow their children as socially accepted ones and for that purpose money alone might not be useful. Most of the parents believe that their children will grow well if provided with good living facilities like food, clothing, and toys for playing etc. But these things are necessary for the physical growth, but for the much needed mental growth, such physical things may not work. For mental development of the children parents need to give love care and more attentions to the children in their personal matters. It is necessary to educate the children also in order to make them aware of the needs of the changing world. Morality and ethics are disappearing from the current world which needed to be reinforced. The children should be taught on, the need for adhering the moral principles in order to become an asset to the nation rather than a liability. They must realize that, only a stable and healthy society would be beneficial to all and destroying the stability of the society would bring more harm than benefits. Teachers should give more power while dealing with violent behavior of the children. School or college is a place where the children spend a substantial period of time and the teachers are responsible for controlling them there. At present the teachers have only limited power to control the students which encourage them to engage in more violent activities. The combined effort of parents at home and teachers at schools and college may reduce the juvenile crime up to certain extent. Protection of kid’s rights is another way to reduce juvenile crime. We must realize that kids are also human beings and they have their own requirements for their growth. For example, kids need to play during their childhood for their physical and mental development. Denying him the luxury of playing is a violation of kid’s rights. Conclusions The increasing juvenile crime rate is one of the biggest problems faced by many countries and United States is also not an exception. Children engage in antisocial behaviors because of the failures of the parents and the society in streamlining them in the right path. The increased divorce rates and lack of belief in marriage like social customs result in children with single parents which deny them the opportunity to experience the love and care of at least one of the parents. Both the father and mother are equally important for the children for their healthy developments. Statistics show that the juvenile crimes have increased a lot from 1970 up to 1997 and thereafter it shows a small decline. But still much works needed to be done to keep the juvenile crime rates as below as possible. Domestic violence and child abuse have a positive impact in the making of an antisocial juvenile criminal. Childhood memories may haunt the children when they grown up and they would see nothing wrong, engaging in antisocial activities. Children need to be controlled both at their home and schools effectively in order to keep them in the right track and for that purpose the parents should take more care and attention in their child’s matters and the teachers should be provided more power in controlling the children. Works Cited 1. “Domestic Violence and Abuse”. 2009. 10 November 2009. 2. “Juvenile Law – History”. 2009. 10 November 2009. 3. Mores 4. Office of Justice Programs. “Statistical Briefing book” .10 November 2009. 5. Snyder, Howard N.2001. “Law Enforcement and Juvenile Crime”. U.S. Department of Justice. 10 November 2009. 6. The 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt Read More