Lets Talk About Juvenile Delinquency Today India is the seventh largest country in terms of area, the second most populous country of the world, but most importantly, it is the largest democracy of the world. Even with the best constitutional agendas, we are unable to grow as a country, and are still in front of the world as an ‘emerging power’. What could be the possible reasons behind this according to you?
Juvenile delinquency.
Talking about the term, juvenile delinquency is the criminal activity or antisocial unjustified behavior of a child under 18 years of age, which defies the law called juvenile justice act 2000. These may include gruesome crimes like sexual crimes, or other crimes such as homicides, acts of violation or drug propogation. Unfortunately, juveniles account for 13% in crimes associated with violence and 22.5% in property related disputes. Talking about the facts and figures of 2010, a total of 784 juveniles were arrested with murder charges, 2198 for forcible rapes and 35,001 for charges with aggravated assaults. It is shameful to see such high stats with crime rates, concerned with juveniles.
The main question that arises here is that what are the risk factors involved in the situation? What are the actual trigger points of the young generation which force them to enter the malicious world of crime? Let’s have a look at some of the factors involved.
Individual risk factors-
- ADHD : Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It is a psychological due to which a person can behave in an anti-social manner, and a result of improper functioning of the brain, they get attracted towards this negative world and tend to do things which are not at all acceptable.
- Learning disorders
- Low level of IQ (Intelligence quotient).
- Early development of aggressive nature.
- Use of drugs.
- Victimization, violent in nature.
Family risk factors-
- Negligent and dictatorial parenting nature.
- Low family income.
- Poor discipline and monitoring methods.
Community risk factors-
- Slashed economic opportunities
- Deficient community participation.
- Disorganized nature of the society.
Social risk factors-
- Gang involvement.
- Too much violence exposure.
- Poor commitment towards school.
- Poor commitment towards academics.
If we go by the stats provided by various agencies, male adolescents fall prey to this evil and gruesome world of crime more easily than females. Also, adolescents with penniless backgrounds are seen with more involvement in the crime world as it has access to quick as well as large amounts of money in less time.
Let’s have a look at the constructive side, that is, individual factors which indicate towards positive juvenile development, that will surely transform into responsible citizens of India, contributing towards its growing economy.
- Good academic execution.
- Commendable social skills.
- High IQ.
- Connected nature with parents.
- Ethical coping strategies.
- Problem solving abilities.
- Healthy relationship with peers.
- Involvement in social activities.
Preventive measures-
Let’s raise the most important question that arises here, that how can we prevent the youth of the country from entering the crime world and engage them in fruitful activities which are beneficial for them, as well as the country. According to the data produced by the researches, if we stick on positive development of the youth, this can prove really beneficial for the emerging teens of the country. If we make them focus on the six basic realms, namely education, work sector, relationship commitments, community, physique and creative nature, we can actually transform them into a productive youth, which can labour like a workforce together along with leadership and team spirit values which can directly contribute in the growth of the economy of the country. The main aim behind engaging adolescents is that they possess certain unique values which are very important in any task. They have a positive and constructive vision which helps them achieve results more efficiently.
How to deal with recurring wrong doers-
If you are working towards the betterment of a group of adolescents and you observe that a miscreant repeatedly violating certain basic norms, the only solution here is the process called ‘restorative justice’. It is a process in which all the concerned parties finalize the decision regarding what to do with the miscreant. Usually, the miscreant is enrolled with a social work organization in order to work for rectification and also works for the repair of damages, if any, and also provides with medical assistance. This method alone has brought a decline of almost 50%. Collecting everything that has been stated so far, juvenile delinquency is an unacceptable part of the society and it can be eradicated by following all the detailed steps as already stated above. Let’s work towards the betterment of India by upgrading the quality of youth as they hold the future of India!
