Juvenile delinquency is a phenomenon that subsists in every area of the United States and is more than just a contemporary issue. For decades, there has been an ongoing debate, amongst both scholars and the general population, regarding the causes of delinquent behavior and what measures can be taken to prevent such behavior from both occurring and reoccurring (Juvenile Delinquency to Young Adult Offending, 2014). Although a seemingly miniscule matter to some, correctly identifying the cause(s) of juvenile delinquency could potentially lead to successful interventions of deviant juvenile behavior and reduce the likelihood of criminal behavior later as an adult. If the general public were more aware of the concerns regarding juvenile delinquency,
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A juvenile is a minor, or a person who has not yet reached the legal age of eighteen, and a delinquent is the juvenile term for criminal (Juvenile Delinquency to Young Adult Offending, 2014). These juveniles have a completely separate justice system from the adult criminal justice system, called the juvenile justice system. Unlike to the criminal justice system, though, there is no national juvenile justice system. Local, county, and state police develop their juvenile justice systems individually from one another and, therefore, there is a lack of nationally published data on juvenile statistics. Furthermore, because juveniles are minors, many statistics are confidential and not released to protect the privacy and rights of these dependent individuals. However, through ample research, a study out of Pennsylvania regarding juvenile recidivism rates and statistics surfaced. To be clear, the National Institute for Justice has referred to recidivism as “a person 's relapse into criminal behavior, often after the person receives sanctions . . . for a previous crime . . . measured by criminal acts that resulted in rearrests . . . during a three-year period following the prisoner 's release” (2014). For the remainder of this document, recidivism will be referred to in this …show more content…
Additionally, the study found that ninety-percent of the recidivists were males and that males were three times more likely to recidivate than females (Fowler et al, 2014). This reinforces the notion that there is need for a societal shift in focus: focus should be aimed at early interventions for juveniles that are at higher risk for delinquent behavior and recidivism, not punishment and rehabilitation strategies. The following paragraphs further examine the causes of juvenile delinquency, as explained by sociological theories that have been expanded upon to include juvenile delinquency, and examine whether or not these causes increase a juvenile’s risk of
A juvenile is a minor, or a person who has not yet reached the legal age of eighteen, and a delinquent is the juvenile term for criminal (Juvenile Delinquency to Young Adult Offending, 2014). These juveniles have a completely separate justice system from the adult criminal justice system, called the juvenile justice system. Unlike to the criminal justice system, though, there is no national juvenile justice system. Local, county, and state police develop their juvenile justice systems individually from one another and, therefore, there is a lack of nationally published data on juvenile statistics. Furthermore, because juveniles are minors, many statistics are confidential and not released to protect the privacy and rights of these dependent individuals. However, through ample research, a study out of Pennsylvania regarding juvenile recidivism rates and statistics surfaced. To be clear, the National Institute for Justice has referred to recidivism as “a person 's relapse into criminal behavior, often after the person receives sanctions . . . for a previous crime . . . measured by criminal acts that resulted in rearrests . . . during a three-year period following the prisoner 's release” (2014). For the remainder of this document, recidivism will be referred to in this …show more content…
Additionally, the study found that ninety-percent of the recidivists were males and that males were three times more likely to recidivate than females (Fowler et al, 2014). This reinforces the notion that there is need for a societal shift in focus: focus should be aimed at early interventions for juveniles that are at higher risk for delinquent behavior and recidivism, not punishment and rehabilitation strategies. The following paragraphs further examine the causes of juvenile delinquency, as explained by sociological theories that have been expanded upon to include juvenile delinquency, and examine whether or not these causes increase a juvenile’s risk of