Table of Contents
Introduction
According to Tyagi (2016), the term “juvenile delinquency” refers to the commission of a criminal act or offence by a person who is above the minimal age of criminal responsibility but below the age of criminal majority. The current paper will explore the causes of juvenile delinquency in the light of three key theories that include Biosocial Theory, Social Disorganization Theory and Social Learning Theory. The current author will further present a summary of the research regarding causes of juvenile delinquency and concluding remarks that will summarize the main points of the paper.
Theories and Causes of Juvenile Delinquency
Biosocial Theory is a contemporary biological theory that argues that adolescent’s behavior and thought have bases on social and biological factors (Tyagi, 2016). The theory relies on both environmental and genetic factors to determine whether one is likely to become a juvenile delinquent. It provides that impaired socialization, poor parenting and poor environment are among the factors that can influence a child to become a juvenile delinquent. In addition, Biosocial Theory also argues that pathological traits such as low Intelligence Quotient (IQ), disability or impaired personality are risk factors in causing one to become a juvenile delinquent (Champion, 2004).
Moreover, Social Disorganization Theory argues that communities with reduced chances of advancement for the children predispose them to high risks of committing crime. For instance, a community with high poverty levels, high rate of school dropouts and high crime rate predisposes the residents to conflicts and a state of desperation that might trigger them to develop antisocial behavior (Young et al. 2017). In this case, the young people in the community are exposed to high risks of committing crime.
On the other hand, Social Learning Theory is a psychological theory that also explains the causes of juvenile delinquency. It holds that children learn bad traits from those adults whom they interact with in the community. This theory asserts that if a child is brought up in a favorable environment which is free from heightened cases of crime, he or she is likely to grow up as a responsible person. However, if the child is brought up in an environment characterized by gangs, drug dealers and violence, he or she is likely to become a juvenile delinquent (Champion, 2004). According to Bartol & Bartol (2009), this theory emphasizes that the one of main causes of juvenile delinquency is abnormal personalities that are acquired and developed by the offender due to interactions with the environment during the early childhood stages.
Summary of Research on Causes of Delinquency
A careful analysis of the three juvenile delinquency theories shows that the causes of juvenile delinquency can be categorized into; biological, sociological or psychological. According to Biosocial Theory, inheritance of defective genes as well as exposure to unfavorable social aspects such as poor parenting, impaired socialization and poor environment are risk factors to juvenile delinquency (Tyagi 2016). In addition, Social Disorganization Theory holds that negative social traits such as high crime rate, gangs and violence predispose young persons to high risks of committing crimes (Young et al. 2017). Nevertheless, according to Social Learning Theory, abnormal personalities that are acquired and developed during early childhood stages are one of the main causes of juvenile delinquency (Bartol & Bartol 2009).
In conclusion, juvenile delinquency is influenced by several factors that can be biological, sociological or psychological. Genetic factors such as inheritance of defective genes, sociological aspects such as poor parenting and poor environment as well as psychological factors such as creation and development of abnormal personalities in early childhood stages expose one to high risks of juvenile delinquency.
- Bartol, C., & Bartol, A. (2009). Juvenile Delinquency and Antisocial Behavior: A Developmental Perspective. 3rd Ed. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall.
- Champion, D. J. (2004). The Juvenile Justice System: Delinquency, Processing, and the Law. 4th Ed. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Prentice Hall Inc.
- Tyagi, M. (2016). Understanding Juvenile Crime. Economic & Political Weekly , 51 (2): 34-123.
- Young, S., Greer, B., & Church, R. (2017). Juvenile Delinquency, Welfare, Justice and Therapeutic Interventions: A Global Perspective. BJPsych Bull , 41 (1): 21-29.