The Causes of Juvenile Offences - Literature review Example

Juvenile Offenders Juvenile offences have been there since time immemorial. In the eighteenth century there was no word like juvenile offenders as children were charged as harshly as adult offenders. The trend however changed in the twentieth century internationally and the world juvenile offenders saw light. However, there are countries like Australia which had harsher juvenile offender’s charges and even now when the international age of juveniles is ten to seventeen; Australia has reduced theirs to sixteen. In fact in the mid eighteen century Australia charged young children as young as six years old and kept those together with adults gave them the same hard labor, corporal punishment and the legal process. The paper below will discuss the causes of juvenile offences, the differences in juvenile offences and adult offences. Moreover, the paper will discuss the measures out in place to prevent and eliminate juvenile delinquencies. The types of juvenile offences have also been discussed in the paper. Introduction A juvenile offender can be defined as an offender of law but under the statutory age described by the government. In most states, any law breaker under the age of eighteen is considered a juvenile offender and is kept away from adult offenders. Furthermore, they are not given the same type of job description or punishment as the adult offenders. However, some offences are so severe that even juveniles are tried as adults. This is because a juvenile offender is expected to commit non violent offences like drugs, graffiti and such and are only expected to do it once or a few times in their teenage years. Frequent offences especially violent offences are most likely going to be charged as an adult. This paper is going to address the causes of juvenile offences and measures to prevent juvenile delinquency. Furthermore, this paper is going to discuss the history of juvenile offenders, qualities that separate child offenders and adult offenders and the types of crimes usually perpetrated by juvenile offenders. History of Juvenile Offenders Centuries ago there was no difference between a juvenile offender and an adult offender. Children were persecuted like adults and punished the same way. They had to undergo the same legal process as adults and were involved in hard labor as the adults. However, a child from the age of ten years and below did not qualify to be legally charged or called a juvenile offender. This was simply because a child under ten years is not aware of the offences and was thus held innocent. In the eighteenth century Australia children from six years were legally charged and qualified as juvenile offenders (Richards, 2011). Fast forward to the twentieth century it has been internationally set that juvenile offenders be separated, charged less severely and not needed to undergo the tiring legal process. This has led to juvenile offenders to be considered to begin form the age of ten to seventeen. This has been shortened by a year in Australia s the maximum age for a juvenile offender is sixteen years. Difference between Juvenile Offenders and Grown Up Offenders Juvenile offenders are very different from adult offenders. According to Australia institute of criminology juvenile offenders have a low statistics on violent crimes as opposed to adult offenders. Furthermore, as the years advance so does the crime rate reduce unlike adults who commit crimes despite the age group? Moreover, the non violent crimes are committed during a very few years into adulthood where they quickly reduce drastically. The main difference between juvenile offender and adult offenders is that juveniles commit crimes due to peer pressure unlike adults who are lone players. Juveniles are also different form adult offenders because it is believed that during teenage years there are rapid changes made to the brain. This rapid change is believed to occur to the area of brain which is responsible for inhibition. Thirdly, juvenile offenders due to the rapid changes to the brain are prone to intellectual disability and mental illness. According to a research the ratio of people with brain disabilities between juveniles and adults is 3:1. Finally, young people are more prone to offences since they are vulnerable thus victims as compared to adults. It has been estimated that during the ages of fifteen and twenty four, people are majorly victims thus the need to be tough leading to criminal offences. Types of Juvenile Offences Juvenile offences are generally different form adult offences. Juvenile offences are less severe and are non violent. These include graffiti, shoplifting, vandalism and fare evasions. However, there are a few cases of violent offences like sexual offences, drugs peddling and homicide. Most of the time juveniles are apprehended for crimes against property but not people like petty crimes like pick pocketing and vandalism. On the other hand, white collar jobs crimes are not commonly perpetrated by juveniles since it is not compatible with their lives. In New South Wales juvenile crime against property amounts to one thirds of the whole crime population. Juveniles always commit crimes that most of the time lands them in custody due to a variety of reasons. First, juveniles do not commit crime spontaneously as they don plan nor have organized crime. This makes them very lousy and leaves evidence everywhere. They commit offences in broad daylight in public places and in huge groups that attract attention. Moreover, in most instances, juveniles commit crimes near their homes. On top of this juvenile commit crimes that cry out that they are attention seekers. These crimes are episodic and gregarious like car theft and underage drinking. Causes/ Factors of Juvenile Delinquency Economic and social factors Poverty and economical instabilities have been a root cause of juvenile offenders (Juvenile delinquencies 2003). This includes political instability, economic instability, social economic issues and weakening of major institutions. Cultural factors In settings where cultural norms have been watered down by things like modernization is a cause for juvenile crimes. In such settings, juveniles act vigorously to the changes by doing the things that their cultural setting deemed wrong but are now acceptable thanks to modernization (Lahey, 2003). Urbanization It is commonly known that crime rates among children in urban areas are high as compare to rural areas. This is due to the differences that rise due to social control and cohesion. This means that rural children are controlled by the community, parents and family which are very personal while urban children are controlled by legal authority which is impersonal. Family A family’s stability can prevent juvenile offences as children who are constantly watched by parents are well behaved. Families with violence, conflicts, dysfunctional and less parental control have given rise to a big number of juvenile offenders. This is because the stress at home is expressed through retaliation by crime. Migration Immigrants are often secluded in economy and in the society as a whole. This tow factors are a major source of juvenile offenders. Furthermore, the cultural shock and conflict often lead juveniles to be defiant and rebellious thus engaging g in juvenile acts. Media The media is a major cause of juvenile offenders as they portray crime and other vices as heroic and something to be admired. Children try to copy this movies and films and want to become like their favorite herpes from TV. Violence is most common in movies and young children are vulnerable. Peer pressure In most instances, juvenile offenders commit crime due to peer influence. This is because they ant to fit and to fit they have to have the same interests as their friends. Furthermore, they want to stand out and seem cool thus act tough and heroic by committing crimes. It is simply attention seeking. Exclusion Exclusion has seen the gap between the rich and the poor widen. This has led the poor to hate the rich and want to take away their happiness so that they can experience what they experience. Children grow up and find thus hate by their parents and families and learn to solve feelings by action and that is when they commit crimes. Effective Measures to Prevent /Eliminate Juvenile Delinquency There are measures that can be used to prevent or eliminate juvenile offences. First, reduction of stigmatization is a good way to start (Snyder & Sickmund, 2006). Some juveniles commit petty crimes and are taken to juvenile courts but after they come out they are seriously stigmatized by their peers. This often leads to relapse as they find comfort either in the juvenile prisons or with criminals. Secondly, educational programs and campaigns can be set up to aid juvenile delinquents and other children. These educational programs can teach the children virtues from vices. Furthermore, these programs can teach the other children how to handle juvenile offenders and accept them back in the society. Thirdly, set up of recreational facilities are a sure way to prevent juvenile offences (Feld & Bishop, 2012). This is because most juveniles commit crime as they are idle and have nothing constructive to do but cause trouble. Facilities like libraries, theatres, pitches and such stuff can occupy the children and prevent juvenile offences. Fourthly, the government should at least try and offer teenagers and young adult’s employment opportunities (Hoge, Guerra & Boxer, 2008). This will eradicate poverty that is a major cause of juvenile offences. In fact employment even part time jobs will reduce the gap between the rich and the poor and the hate will reduce. Fifthly, institutions should come up with social support group that provide emotional and social support to juveniles. This can be after school groups that utilize the children’s time and also offer them support once they come out of juvenile prisons. These institutions should also provide counseling, health programs and alternative schools. Finally, the families can learn to be stable to ensure that children do not involve themselves in crimes. In cases where parents are not fit to raise children in a good way they can give them up for adoption or call child services to take care of the children. This will ensure children grow up in stable and loving families. Conclusion Juvenile offenders can be defined as an offender of law but under the statutory age described by the government. Juvenile offenders are from the ages of ten to seventeen anybody above that is charged as an adult. Cause of juvenile delinquency is due to Economic and social factors, cultural factors, urbanization, family, migration, media, peer pressure and exclusion. However, there are measures that can be put in place to prevent or eliminate juvenile delinquency. These measures include, setting of stable families, setting up social and emotional support for juvenile offenders, employment opportunities for teenagers and set up of recreational facilities. This will ensure the teen’s time is positively utilized and virtues are passed over to the teenagers. Appendices References Richards, K. (2011, February 5). Trends and issues in crime and criminal justice. Retrieved April 6, 2015, from http://www.aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi409.pdf Juvenile deliquencies. (2003, May 17). Retrieved April 6, 2015, from http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/documents/ch07.pdf Snyder, H., & Sickmund, M. (2006, June 12). Juvenile offenders and victims: 2006 national report. Retrieved April 6, 2015, from http://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/nr2006/downloads/nr2006.pdf Lahey, B. B. (2003). Causes of conduct disorder and juvenile delinquency. New York, NY [u.a.: Guilford Press. Feld, B. C., & Bishop, D. M. (2012). The Oxford handbook of juvenile crime and juvenile justice. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Hoge, R. D., Guerra, N., & Boxer, P. (2008). Treating the juvenile offender. New York: Guilford Press. Read More