The Causes Of Juvenile Delinquency

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There has been a mass increase of juvenile delinquency in the United States, which has made a notable change in our society as a whole. It also directly affects parents, teachers, families, the perpetrators themselves, and of course, the victims. Law enforcement agencies in the United States have made an estimated 2.11 million arrests of minors. These perpetrators who were arrested have either been placed in confinement or they are under court supervision. Juvenile delinquency is described as illegal or immoral behavior, generally among young people under the legal age of eighteen. In order to reduce these high rates of delinquency, parents, and other adult figures, must first ask themselves, what is causing this? What external and internal …show more content…

nurture debate. Many believe that either nature or nurture is the cause of certain rebellious behaviors, but I personally believe that in most cases, it is a combination of both. Biological factors and outside influences can both cause criminal behavior. Children are born with pre-determined characteristics due to genetics, and just as levels of intelligence and other traits can be hereditary, I believe violent tendencies can be hereditary too. However, I believe that even if a child is born with those tendencies, they are not likely to display them unless influenced. If a child is raised in an unstable, abusive environment, or if they often associate with people who display violent behaviors, those factors can trigger their restrained traits to the surface. But if the child is raised in a healthy, stable, environment it is less likely to happen. If there is an inborn tendency for criminal behavior, it will usually only be expressed in the right …show more content…

In the article “Prevalence and Development of Child Delinquency” written by Howard N. Snyder, he explains that “Older juveniles often influence younger children. In addition, studies have shown that juveniles who associate with deviant peers are more likely to be involved in delinquent behavior and arrested at a younger age than those who do not associate with such deviant juveniles” (Snyder 36). Children that are abused and/or associate themselves with delinquents run a greater risk of developing delinquent behavior themselves. According to "Breaking the Cycle of Violence: A Rational Approach to At-Risk Youth." Written by Judy Briscoe, “Peer rejection may also influence child and adolescent delinquency by inducing the rejected child to associate with deviant peer groups and gangs. Gang membership provides a ready source of co-offenders for juvenile delinquency and reflects the greatest degree of deviant peer influence on offending. Also, youth tend to join gangs at younger ages than in the past, which leads to an increased number of youthful offenders.” (Briscoe 8) Although children tend to have the same values and beliefs as their parents, their different experiences and influences while growing up shape their beliefs and their view of the world, which has a direct impact on their ability to make rational decisions. It’s possible that if a child had

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