INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL PROBLEMS

• The term social problem is used in a range of contexts

and disruptive behaviors that are perceived as signs of
social instability and authorization for change through
‘social
engineering’ methods.
• Often, these problems involve many forms of deviant
behavior. Such as crime, child abuse, prostitution, mental
illness, drug addiction, suicide, ethnic strife, domestic
violence, industrial conflicts, and more.
Reactions to social problems are the following:
• An attitude of unconcern- Many people often ignore the problem
thinking it will not affect them personally.
 Sometimes a person has personal problems such as family
discord and work pressures that make them less likely to take
the time to be interested in what affects others living in the
same community.

• Fatalism - Some people believe that everything is created by fate.

 Major social problems, such as poverty and unemployment,
are explained by luck and karma in the past.
 So, they meet this ambition and wait for some miracle to happen.

• Permitted interest - most people do not care about the

problems because they have to benefit as long as the problem
exists.
 Motivated by their own interests, they described the problem
as insurmountable.

• Lack of professional knowledge - Some people, although

very concerned about the problem, do not care much about
it and believe that the solution is not possible unless people
change their attitudes and values.
 As a change is initiated by a change in perspective they are less
likely to find other opportunities.
DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION
Population change is a series of stages that the country goes through as
it shifts from non-industrial to industrial. The concept of demographic
includes four categories based on changes in population size and social
behavior.
STAGES OF DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION:
The four stages of social change are described as follows:
FIRST PHASE:
This stage has been called the phase of mass growth. It is characterized
by high and evolving rates of birth and death that will almost decrease
each other. People mainly live in rural areas and their main occupation
is the backyard agriculture sector. The higher education sector, which
includes transportation, commercial banks, and insurance, is
underdeveloped.
All of these things are responsible for the low income and poverty of
the crowd. Social and cultural beliefs play a vital role in keeping the
birth rate high. The mortality rate is also high due to old hygiene and
lack of medical facilities. People live in an unclean, unhealthy
environment.
As a result, they are plagued by disease and a lack of proper medical
care is causing many deaths. The mortality rate is very high for the poor.
Therefore, high birth rates and mortality rates remain the same over
time to stabilize equity and population growth.
SECOND PHASE:
It's called the explosion phase. At this stage the mortality rate
decreases while the birth rate remains high. Agricultural and industrial
production is increasing, transportation and communication are
improving. There is a huge movement of workers. Education is on the
rise. The price is going up. People get more quality with food products.
Medical and health facilities
During this phase economic development is accelerated as a result of
individual and government efforts. More use of better technology, use of
equipment and urban transportation is possible. But there is no major
change in men, in the attitude of the people which is why the birth rate
remains high that is, economic growth has not yet begun to affect the
birth rate.
Because of the growing gap between birth and death rates, the
population is growing at a very high rate and that is why it has been
called the explosion phase. This is the “Growth” phase in human
development where the population is growing at an increasing rate, as
indicated in the statistics, with a decrease in mortality rates and no
change in birth rate.
• THIRD STAGE:
It is also characterized as a population stage because the population
continues to grow at a fast rate. In this stage, birth rate as compared
to the death rate declines more rapidly. As a result, population grows
at a diminishing rate. This stage witnesses a fall in the birth rate while
the death rate stays constant because it has already declined to the
lowest minimum. Birth rate declines due to the impact of economic
development, changed social attitudes and increased facilities for
family planning. Population continues to grow fast because death rate
stops falling whereas birth rate though declining but remains higher
than death rate.
• FOURTH STAGE:
It is called the stage of stationary population. Birch rate and death rate
are both at a low level and they are again near balance. Birth rate is
approximately equal to death rate and there is little growth in
population. It becomes more or less stationary at a low level.

URBANIZATION
Prior to the demographic transition high mortality in cities tended to
give them an excess of deaths over births and they were sustained only
by rural to urban migration. As mortality declined the death rates in
cities fell below the death rate in rural areas. The urban population
became self sustaining though urbanization, meaning the increasing
proportion of people in urban areas, requires continuing rural to urban
migration.

THE QUALITY OF PEOPLE

A remarkable feature of the modern era is the increase in the
“quality” as well as quantity of people. In economics, quality or human
capital has been taken to be synonymous with education. Over the last
100 years we have seen substantial increases in the physical and
cognitive development of children, as evidence by gains in adult
heights (Fogel and Costa (1997)) and IQ scores (Neisser (1998)), even in
the component not associated with education. These gains have been
due to improvements in nutrition and health in the first few years of
life
Mortality
This is linked to the debate about the relative importance of
nutrition, which is endogenous and income dependent, and public
health measures due to exogenous advances in health knowledge
in historical mortality improvements. It is clear that the mortality
transition first started in richer countries and spread to poorer
countries over time. It is also the case that the implementation of
basic public health measures requires public health to be a policy
goal and the existence of at least rudimentary infrastructure for
the delivery of public health services. Sen (1991) has argued that
democracy plays an important role in ensuring the provision of
basic nutrition and public health services. This suggests that
historically the timing of the start of the mortality transition in
each country was dependent on its level of political development.
However, while this may have been true before 1950, since then all
countries have started the mortality transition. To some extent this
is simply a process of technological diffusion but it has been aided
by the fact that expertise and funding is available from
international organizations to support these measures. This
supports Dyson’s argument, that at least in the modern era,
the mortality transition is largely exogenous. While the mortality
transition has had important consequences for economic and
social development it is important to realize that longer healthy life
spans are themselves a gain in human welfare.
CASE EXAMPLES:
In many ways, the Indian population is the envy of the world. As
the population of countries such as China, the US, and Japan grows,
the Indian population is dwindling-:
this increase in the number of working people should create a
“segregation of the population” that could increase economic
growth. However, according to a study by the Reserve Bank of India
(RBI), this will depend on India's declining participation rate. The study,
Atri Mukherjee, Priyanka Bajaj and Sarthak Gulati examined the impact
of change on the Indian population on economic outcomes between
1975 and 2017. Instead of population growth, they suggest that the
growth of the working population is crucial to economic growth.
The number of people working in India is now increasing due to the
rapid decline in birth and death rates. The age-related dependence rate
in India, the proportion of people who depend on (children and the
elderly) in working age (14- to 65-year-olds), is expected to begin to rise
by 2040, as estimated by the UN.
However, this growth will depend on those who are in the age of
working people actually working. The authors point out that the level of
labor participation in India is declining, especially among rural youth
(aged 15 to 29) and women. For India to harness the power of its
beautiful landscapes, the authors say it is important to address this.
UNEMPLOYMENT
Unemployment occurs when a diligent job seeker is unable to find a
job. Unemployment is often used as a measure of economic health.
The most common unemployment rate is the unemployment rate,
which is the number of unemployed people divided by the number of
working people.

TYPES OF UNEMPLOYMENT
1. Frictional Unemployment
Unemployment occurs when a person is in the middle of a job.
After a person leaves the company, it naturally takes time to find
another job, making this type of unemployment last for a while.
2. Cyclical Unemployment
Ongoing unemployment is the difference in the number of
unemployed workers in times of economic downturn and job
losses.
3. Structural Unemployment
Unemployment is due to technological changes in the economic
structure where labor markets operate. This leads to
unemployment among workers leaving jobs that are no longer
needed.
4. Institutional Unemployment
Institutional unemployment is unemployment resulting from
long-term or permanent institutional conditions and economic
incentives.
CAUSES OF UNEMPLOYMENT

1. Caste System:
In India caste system is prevalent. The work is prohibited for specific
castes in some areas. In many cases, the work is not given to the
deserving candidates but given to the person belonging to a particular
community. So this gives rise to unemployment.
2. Slow Economic Growth:
Indian economy is underdeveloped and role of economic growth is very
slow. This slow growth fails to provide enough unemployment
opportunities to the increasing population.
3. Increase in Population:
Constant increase in population has been a big problem in India. It is
one of the main causes of unemployment. The rate of unemployment is
11.1% in 10th Plan.
4. Agriculture is a Seasonal Occupation:
Agriculture is underdeveloped in India. It provides seasonal
employment. Large part of population is dependent on agriculture. But
agriculture being seasonal provides work for a few months. So this gives
rise to unemployment.
6. Fall of Cottage and Small industries:
The industrial development had adverse effect on cottage and small
industries. The production of cottage industries began to fall and many
artisans became unemployed.
EFFECTS OF UNEMPLOYMENT
• Poverty: Unemployment and poverty go hand in hand. The
problem of unemployment is causing the problem of poverty.
Thus job growth can also reduce poverty in the country.

• Non-social activities: Young people after long periods of

unemployment find the wrong way to earn money. This includes
all anti-social activities such as trafficking, growth of rowdies etc.

• Drug use: Rise in alcohol and other drugs due to the pressure of
not having a proper source of income.

• Suicide: The organization usually does not accept the

unemployed and the income. This attitude of avoidance always
undermines people's self-esteem. Unemployed youths therefore
accept suicide as the last resort in their lives.

• Low economic growth: due to a lack of productivity and labour

distribution the country is losing its economic growth. This
affects the development of the country.

• Increased crime rate: As unemployed youth have nothing to

do they start robbing, killing etc.

• Health problems: unemployment affects the health of the

unemployed physically and mentally. It therefore reduces the
health and well-being of the individual.

SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM OF UNEMPLOYMENT

• The first solution to unemployment is to control population growth
in our country. The government should encourage people to have
smaller families.
• The Indian government has started a population control program
but still the number of people and the inability to provide them with
jobs is a problem
• . Improve the quality of education and provide effective education
• Young people should be given the knowledge and encouragement
to choose the path they prefer rather than the desire of another.
These goals will help her reach higher levels of life.
• Government should encourage and develop agricultural support
industries in rural areas so that rural candidates do not relocate to
urban areas. Much work should be done in rural areas for part-
time employees.
• Industrial growth should be accelerated.
• Rural development will halt the migration of rural people to cities
and this will not put much pressure on urban activities.
• Foreign currencies. The government should allow more foreign
companies to open their units in India.

STATISTICS ABOUT UNEMPLOYMENT IN INDIA

• Unemployment Rate in India decreased to 4.90 percent in 2013
from
5.20 percent in 2012.
• Unemployment Rate in India averaged 7.32 percent from 1983
until 2013, reaching an all time high of 9.40 percent in 2009 and a
record low of 4.90 percent in 2013. Unemployment Rate in India is
reported by the Ministry of Labor and Employment, India.
• In 2017, the unemployment rate in India was estimated to be
3.52 percent.
 ILLITERACY
Illiteracy as well as functional illiteracy were defined on the 20th
session of UNESCO in 1978 as follows:
A person is illiterate who cannot with understanding both read and
write a short simple statement on his everyday life.
A person is functionally illiterate who cannot engage in all those
activities in which literacy is required for effective functioning of his
group and community and also for enabling him to continue to use
reading, writing and calculation for his own and the community’s
development.

UNESCO says,
Literacy is a fundamental human right and the foundation for lifelong
learning. It is fully essential to social and human development in its ability
to transform lives. For individuals, families, and societies alike, it is an
instrument of empowerment to improve one’s health, one’s income,
and
one’s relationship with the world.
The uses of literacy for the exchange of knowledge are constantly
evolving, along with advances in technology.

illiteracy a problem in India:

Illiteracy affects an individual in all areas of their life. An illiterate
individual cannot read and write, and thus cannot join the
workforce or may work as unskilled labor, lack awareness to make
an informed decision which affects them and their community..
main cause of illiteracy :
Illiteracy in India is because of a complex web of social and economic
divide in the country. Economic disparities, gender
discrimination, caste discrimination, and technological barriers
lead to illiteracy in India. India has the largest population of
illiterate adults, which further contribute to this vicious cycle of
illiteracy in India.
State with lowest literacy rate in India:
Bihar has the lowest literacy rate in India, at 61.80%, while
India’s literacy rate is 74.04%. Female literacy rate in Bihar stands
at 51.5%, while the male literacy rate is much higher, at 71.2%.
India’s rank in literacy:
According to the 2005 UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report,
which incorporates the 2001 census, India ranked 106 out of 127
countries surveyed in terms of literacy. India ranks 123 out of 135
countries in terms of female literacy rate.
literacy rate in India:
Literacy rate in India stands at 74% as per Census 2011. There is a
stark difference between male and female literacy rates, which
stand 82% and 65% respectively. There is a wider gap in literacy
rates of different castes. The literacy rate of Scheduled Tribes
stands at 58.96%, while the Scheduled Castes is at 66.10%
Is illiteracy the cause of poverty?
There is a strong link between illiteracy and poverty. Literacy is
defined as “the ability to read and write”. Therefore, an illiterate
person, unable to read and write, cannot find a skilled job and is
forced to do unskilled work. This affects her income, quality of life and
ultimately her ability to provide quality education for her children.
This could mean that her children will not be able to develop their
skills and get a better job and end up out of poverty. An illiterate
person cannot get proper health care, understand their basic rights
and the same demands.

Causes of illiteracy
Lack of access:
Many villages do not have their own schools, which means that
children have to walk miles every day to and from classes. Some
families do not see the value of spending time with their children
when they need help with their homework or to work to support
themselves.
Caste Discrimination:
Although the law says that all children should receive an education, in
reality children from lower classes or Dalit (Affected) families are
abused at school - by their classmates and even by their own teachers.
This leads to an increase in schooling and even encourages children to
go to school early.
Preference for boys:
Poor families can't always afford the heavy school fees - and if they
have to choose between educating their son or daughter, they are
more likely to choose a son. That's because Indian culture expects
boys to provide for their parents when they grow up… but girls
will get married and leave their families. Millions of girls have never
been sent to school because it is considered a waste of valuable
resources

SOLUTIONS TO ILLETRACY
Illiteracy creates several hurdles in the development of a country and
affects every person in that country. Here are five ways by which we
can end illiteracy in India:
1. Inclusive Education
The RTE Act (2009) has resulted in increased enrolment of children
in schools, but the Act is applicable for children between 6-14 years
of age. Children, especially girl children, who drop out of school
after 14 years of age, find it almost impossible to continue their
education. The purview of the Act must be increased to make
education accessible to every individual.
2. Increased investment in government schools
Due to lack of funds, the government schools are unable to invest in
providing basic facilities to children. Lack of functioning toilets, hand-
washing area, and drinking water compels children, especially girl children
to drop out of school. On the other hand, private schools with high-end
facilities charge exorbitant fee making it impossible for those from the
marginalized communities to access services. Increasing government
expenditure in public schools will make them more accessible.
.

3. Vocational Training
Often school education alone does not provide the skills required to
enter the workforce. The current system of rote learning without
practical training affects the quality of education and fails to develop
employable skill sets. Thus, vocational training is important to fill this
gap.
4. Teacher training
The education system cannot be enhanced without trained and educated
teachers. Lack of qualified teachers in both public and private schools
impact learning outcomes of children. There is a need for drastic changes
to ensure that schools hire qualified teachers, availability of qualified
teachers, and opportunities for individuals to be trained as teachers.
Steps were taken by the government to improve literacy
standards in India

• The government conducts various scholarship examinations and

provides school uniform, textbooks and stationery in order to encourage
students and adults to take up studying.

• The Mid Day Meal Scheme was launched by the government in 1995 to
provide students free food grain so as to improve enrolment, attendance,
and retention in government schools.

• Samagra Shiksha Programme was launched by the government with

the broader goal of improving school effectiveness. This will be measured
in terms of equal opportunities for schooling and equitable learning
outcomes.

• Awareness campaigns were launched in rural areas to create

awareness among people about the importance of education. They were
encouraged to attend or send their children to schools.
POVERTY
Poverty is a state or
condition in which a person or community lacks the
financial resources and essentials for a minimum standard of living.
Poverty means that the income level from employment is so low that
basic human needs can't be met. Poverty-stricken people and families
might go without proper housing, clean water, healthy food, and medical
attention. Each nation may have its own threshold that determines how
many of its people are living in poverty.

TYPES OF POVERTY
On the basis of social, economical and political aspects, there are
different ways to identify the type of Poverty:
1. Absolute poverty: It is a condition characterized by severe
deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking
water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information.
It depends not only on income but also on access to social services.
For example, a family is poor if it is not able to earn food, water or
even a basic kutcha house to live.
2. Relative Poverty: It is a level of household income which is
considerably less than median income of the country. It is the lack of
resources when compared to other members of the society. It is a
relative concept therefore it differs across countries. For example, a
family may be considered poor if it is not able to send their children
in good school even though they have basic amenities like food,
water, shelter etc.
3. Situational Poverty : It is temporary in nature and occurs
due to some adverse situation like earthquakes, floods or
some severe health problem. For example, a family earns
decent income of $400 per month and is able to meet basic
necessities of life. One day earthquake hits the city and
destroys their house; earning member of family loses his job.
So a well off family suddenly becomes poor overnight.

4. Generational Poverty : This type of poverty is inherited by

household. The two to three generation born into poverty
and they do not have tools to come out of this situation.

5. Rural Poverty: It occurs in non-metro areas with population

less than 50,000 inhabitants. Due to lesser population, the
area lacks basic services and amenities which is the cause of
their financial struggle.

6. Urban Poverty: It occurs in areas with population of more

than 50,000 inhabitants. These families live in much stressed
condition due to overcrowding. They lack basic necessities like
affordable housing.
CAUSES OF POVERTY

SOLUTIONS TO POVERTY
1.Develop and implement rapid and sustained economic growth
policies and programs, in areas such as health, education, nutrition and
sanitation, allowing the poor to participate and contribute to the
growth. Studies show that a 10 percent increase in a country’s
average income reduces poverty by as much as 20-30 percent.
2.Improve management of water and other natural resources. Most of
the rural poor depend on agriculture or other natural resources for their
livelihood. Consequently, it is necessary that they have more equitable
access to those resources so they are better able to manage their
resources.
3.Invest in and implement agricultural programs. China has helped
800 million people out of poverty since 1978. As a part of its strategy to
eradicate poverty by 2020,
DOWRY
The dowry system in India refers to the durable goods, cash, and real or
movable property that the bride's family gives to the bridegroom, his
parents, or his relatives as a condition of the marriage. Dowry stemmed
from India's skewed inheritance laws, and the Hindu Succession Act
needed to be amended to stop the routine disinheritance of
daughters. Dowry is essentially in the nature of a payment in cash or
some kind of gifts given to the bridegroom's family along with the bride
and includes cash, jewellery, electrical appliances, furniture, bedding,
crockery, utensils, vehicles and other household items that help the
newlyweds set up their home.

CAUSES OF THE DOWRY

Various reasons have been suggested as cause of dowry practice in
India. These include economic factors and social factors.
Economic factors
There are many economic factors that contribute towards the system
of dowry. Some of these include inheritance systems and the bride's
economic status.
Some suggestions point to economics and weak legal institutions on
inheritance place women in disadvantage, with inheritances being left
only to sons. This leaves women dependent upon their husbands and
in-laws, who keep the dowry when she marries. Prior to 1956,
including during the British Raj, daughters had no rights of inheritance
to their family's wealth. In 1956, India gave equal legal status to
daughters and sons among Hindu, Sikh and Jain families, under the
Hindu Succession Act (India grants its Muslim population the Sharia
derived personal status laws).

Despite the new inheritance law, dowry has continued as a process

whereby parental property is distributed to a daughter at her marriage
by a social process, rather than after parents death by a slow court
supervised process under Hindu Succession Act (1956).
Dowry gave, at least in theory, women economic and financial security
in their marriage in the form of movable goods. This helped prevent
family wealth break-up and provided security to the bride at the same
time. This system can also be used as a premortem inheritance, as
once a woman is presented with movable gifts, she may be cut off
from the family estate.
Social factors
The structure and kinship of marriage in parts of India contributes to
dowry. In the north, marriage usually follows a patrilocal (lives with
husband's family) system, where the groom is a non-related member
of the family. This system encourages dowry perhaps due to the
exclusion of the bride's family after marriage as a form of premortem
inheritance for the bride. In the south, marriage is more often
conducted within the bride's family, for example with close relatives or
cross-cousins, and in a closer physical distance to her family. In
addition, brides may have the ability to inherit land, which makes her
more valuable in the marriage, decreasing the chance of dowry over
the bride price system.

In addition to marriage customs that may influence dowry, social

customs or rituals, and parents expectations of dowry are important
factors to consider. A 1995 study showed that while attitudes of people
are changing about dowry, dowry continues to prevail. In a 1980 study
conducted by Rao, 75% of students responded that dowry was not
important to marriage, but 40% of their parents' likely expected dowry.

While India has been making progress for women's rights, women
continue to be in a subordinate status in their family. Women's
education, income, and health are some significant factors that play
into the dowry system, and for how much control a woman has over
her marriage.
Religious factors
Dowry in India is not limited to any specific religion. It is
widespread among Hindus and other religions. For example, Indian
Muslims call dowry as jahez, justify the practice in terms of jahez-e-
fatimi.
Islamists classify jahez into two categories: The first comprises some
essential articles for the outfit of the bride as well as for conjugal life.
The other is made up of valuable goods, clothes, jewelry, an amount
of money for the groom's family, which is settled on after bargaining.
The jahez often far exceeds the cost of the baraat and marriage
parties. The jahez is separate from cash payment as Mahr or dower
that Sharia religious law requires.

SOLUTIONS TO DOWRY

Important steps to eradicate dowry

•Educate your daughters

•Encourage them to have their own career

•Teach them to be independent and responsible

•Treat them (your daughter) equally without any discrimination

•Do not encourage the practice of giving or taking dowry

Law on Dowry in India
The Dowry Prohibition Act 1961 deals with dowry in India.

About the law

This Act prohibits the practice of giving or taking of dowry by either

parties to a marriage. This law also punishes demanding and advertising
dowry.
It imposes a duty on parties getting married to make a list of gifts and
presents.
If dowry has been exchanged at a wedding anyway, it imposes a duty on
the person who is given dowry to give it to the bride.
Note that the more serious crimes in relation to dowry such as dowry
death and cruelty from dowry demands are punishable under the
general law on crimes – the Indian Penal Code, 1860.

Persons punished by this Act

Any person who gives or takes dowry (minimum punishment of five

years);

Any person who helps someone to give or take dowry;

Anyone who in any way demands dowry;
Anyone who advertises and offers to give money or property in
return for marrying his son, daughter or relative;
Anyone who publishes these advertisements;
Anyone who does not hand over the dowry to the bride within the
specified time.
CRIME
Crime consists
of conduct that is in violation of federal, state or local
laws. When a law is broken, there is a penalty imposed. The penalty can
include a loss of one's freedom or even one's life. Without a law to
indicate the particular prohibited behavior, there can be no crime.
Therefore, even if an individual's behavior is so horrible that it is
shocking, it will still not be considered criminal if there is no law making
it a crime..
CATEGORIES OF CRIME
There are three categories of crime:
Felonies
Misdemeanors
Violations (also known as infractions)
Felonies are the most serious of crimes that one can commit. Felonies
are punishable by one year or more imprisonment. In fact, there are
some states which impose the death penalty for certain types of felony
crimes. Felony crime includes personal crimes, such as murder, robbery
and rape. Other types are crimes against property, including burglary or
larceny.
One well-known celebrity case that involved a felony charge was the
murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. Celebrity O.J.
Simpson, the former husband of Nicole Brown Simpson, was charged
with the murders of the two victims. After a lengthy public trial, O.J.
Simpson was found not guilty of the felony murder charges.

Misdemeanors are less serious crimes. These crimes are punishable by

Misdemeanors are less serious crimes. These crimes are punishable by
less than one year imprisonment. Examples of misdemeanors include
assault, battery or writing bad checks. For instance, in 2011, actress
Lindsay Lohan pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge for stealing a $2,500
necklace.

Finally, violations are less serious than misdemeanors and include traffic
violations or violations of town or city ordinances. Recently, actor Alec
Baldwin received a ticket for riding his bicycle down the wrong side of
the road in New York City. This is an example of a violation of a New York
City ordinance.

TYPES OF CRIME
There are many different types of crime. One category of crime is crimes
against individuals, often called personal crimes. The harm that is
sustained due to a personal crime is always against a person. This
category of crime includes:
Murder
Forcible rape
Robbery
Aggravated assault
Terrorism
Causes of Crime
CAUSE OF CRIME
• The Oxford Dictionary defines a crime as an action or omission which
constitutes an offence and is punishable by law. A crime is a fact, a
matter of law and it is not an opinion. As society changes, some
actions which used to be criminal are no longer so. Likewise some
actions which were legal can become prohibited.

• An example of this is the introduction of by-laws which allow local

authorities to prohibit drinking in designated public places. Laws
are made by the politicians we elect democratically - we may not
agree with the law but there are democratic opportunities to
change it.

• In a democratic society someone charged with a crime has the

opportunity to defend him/herself. He or she will be deemed innocent
until proven guilty by a criminal court. Punishments traditionally
reflect the seriousness of the crime, the most serious are those which
involve violence and/or loss of life.

• The causes of crime are complex. Poverty, parental neglect, low self-
esteem, alcohol and drug abuse can be connected to why people
break the law. Some are at greater risk of becoming offenders because
of the circumstances into which they are born.
INDIVIDUALIST AND COLLECTIVIST APPROACH
• Individualists tend to focus on personal weakness as the reason a
crime is committed. If someone chooses to offend, that is their
responsibility and if caught, they should suffer the consequences.
Individualists believe that if punishments were stronger and the police
and courts had more powers, there would be less crime.

• Collectivists feel that society is unequal and some people are at

greater risk of being influenced by criminal behaviour, often through
the actions of parents or friends.

• In order to tackle crime, collectivists feel that social conditions which

create the catalyst for crime need to be addressed. This could be
through better housing, improved employment opportunities and a
more equal society to make crime less of an attraction. If people are
in work and are content with life they will be less likely to break the
law.

• Most recent governments at a UK and Scottish level see merit in

both the individualist and collectivist beliefs and accept that there
are underlying causes of crime. But individuals also need to accept
responsibility for their actions. It is the government’s job to tackle
crime, both its causes and the offenders. Former Prime Minister David
Cameron said the government must think hard about dealing with the
causes of crime not just the results of crime.
SOLUTIONS TO CRIMES
• Create, implement and monitor a national action plan for violence
prevention.
• Enhance capacity for collecting data on violence.
• Define priorities for, and support research on, the
causes, consequences, costs and prevention of violence.
• Promote primary prevention responses.
• Strengthen responses for victims of violence.
• Integrate violence prevention into social and educational policies,
and thereby promote gender and social equality.
• Increase collaboration and exchange of information on
violence prevention.
• Promote and monitor adherence to international treaties, laws
and other mechanisms to protect human rights.
• The commissions agree on the role of municipalities, because they are
best able to organize the strategies to tackle the risk factors that cause
crime. The European Forum for Urban Safety and the United States
Conference of Mayors have stressed that municipalities must target
the programs to meet the needs of youth at risk and women who are
vulnerable to violence.
• Now a days criminality is at the top amongst college and university
going students. Therefore. It is a high time to establish crime
prevention centres at University level. It can be devoted to identify
the root causes of crime and make earnest efforts for crime
prevention through empirical studies and effective policy planning.
 DRUG ADDICTION
Addiction is a disease that affects your brain and behavior. When you’re
addicted to drugs, you can’t resist the urge to use them, no matter
how
much harm the drugs may cause.
Drug addiction isn’t about just heroin, cocaine, or other illegal drugs. You
can get addicted to alcohol, nicotine, opioid painkillers, and other legal
substances.
At first, you may choose to take a drug because you like the way it makes
you feel. You may think you can control how much and how often you
use it. But over time, drugs change how your brain works. These
physical changes can last a long time. They make you lose self-control
and can lead you to damaging behaviors.

TYPES OF DRUG ADDICTION

Most Common Types of Addiction
Almost any chemical or foreign substance that alters one’s mind
can be addictive. Within the United States, some of the most
common addictions are the following:
Prescription medication (painkillers, stimulants, anti-anxiety pills)
• Methamphetamines
• Cocaine
• Opiates
• Marijuana
• Hallucinogens
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF RECENT USE CAN INCLUDE:

• A sense of euphoria or feeling "high"

• A heightened sense of visual, auditory and taste perception
• Increased blood pressure and heart rate
• Red eyes
• Dry mouth
• Decreased coordination
• Difficulty concentrating or remembering
• Slowed reaction time
• Anxiety or paranoid thinking
• Cannabis odor on clothes or yellow fingertips
• Exaggerated cravings for certain foods at unusual times
CAUSES OF DRUG ADDITION
Like many mental health disorders, several factors may contribute
to development of drug addiction.
The main factors are:
• Environment. Environmental factors, including your family's beliefs
and attitudes and exposure to a peer group that encourages drug use,
seem to play a role in initial drug use.
• Genetics. Once you've started using a drug, the development into
addiction may be influenced by inherited (genetic) traits, which
may delay or speed up the disease progression.
PREVENTIONS AND REMEDIES
Take these steps to help prevent drug misuse in your children and
teenagers:
• Communicate. Talk to your children about the risks of drug use
and misuse.
• Listen. Be a good listener when your children talk about peer
pressure, and be supportive of their efforts to resist it.
• Set a good example. Don't misuse alcohol or addictive drugs.
Children of parents who misuse drugs are at greater risk of drug
addiction.
• Strengthen the bond. Work on your relationship with your children. A
strong, stable bond between you and your child will reduce your
child's risk of using or misusing drugs.
CHILD LABOUR
Child labor is the practice of having children engage in economic activity,
on part or full-time basis. The practice deprives children of their
childhood, and is harmful to their physical and mental development by
blocking access to education.

IMPORTANT CAUSES OF
CHILD LABOUR IN INDIA
• Poverty,
• Lack of good schools
• Growth of
informal economy.

A Vicious Circle
CHILD LABOUR STATISTICS
• % Across world 61% in asia, 32% in africa, and 7% in latin
america, 1% in US, canada, europe and other wealthy nations.
• Asia
In asia, 22% of the workforce is children. Approximately 10 million
bonded children laborer's are working in south asia.
• Census india
According to the census 2001 figures there are 1.26 crore working
children in the age group of 5-14 as compared to the total child
population of 25.2 crore.
• Hazardous processes
There are approximately 12 lacs children working in the hazardous
occupations/processes which are covered under the child labor
(prohibition & regulation) act
• India accounts for the second highest number where child labor
in the world.
• National sample survey organization (nsso) in 2004-05, the
number of working children is estimated at 90.75 lakh. It shows
that the efforts of the government have borne the desired fruits.
• Africa accounts for the highest number of children employed and
exploited.

CAUSES
Primary causes
• ILO suggests poverty is the greatest single cause behind child labor.
• For impoverished households, income from a child's work is
usually crucial for his or her own survival or for that of the
household.
• Income from working children, even if small, may be between 25
to 40% of these household income.
• Other scholars all across the world have reached the
same conclusion.
Cultural causes
• In european history child labor was common, certain cultural
beliefs have rationalized child labor and thereby encouraged it.
• Some view that work is good for the character-building and
skill development of children
• In many cultures, particular where informal economy and small
household businesses thrive, the cultural tradition is that
children follow in their parents' footsteps;
• Similarly, in many cultures the education of girls is less valued, and
these girls pushed into child labor such as providing domestic
services.

Macroeconomic causes
• A study on five Asian nations including India, Pakistan, Indonesia,
Thailand and Philippines on this factor was done .
• They suggest that the causes for child labor include both the
demand and the supply side.
• While poverty and unavailability of good schools explain the child
labor supply side
• Inflexible labor market, size of informal economy, and lack of
modern manufacturing technologies are major factors affecting
demand and acceptability of child labor.
THE POLICY FRAMEWORK SURROUNDING CHILD LABOUR

• The key international laws dealing with child labour include the
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 (CRC) and the
International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions on the
Minimum Age for Admission to Employment of 1973 (ILO
Convention138) and on the Worst Forms of Child Labour of 1999
(ILO Convention182).
• India has not ratified either of the two ILO conventions and also
made a reservation to article 32 of the CRC at the time of
ratification stating that it would apply the article in a progressive
manner, according to its national legislation and international
commitments, especially in relation to the minimum age.
Related national legislations:·
Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act (1986), “to
prohibit the engagement of children in certain employments and
to regulate the conditions of work of children in certain other
employments” (preamble of the CLPR Act). It excludes a section of
toiling children in the unorganized sectors including agriculture, as
well as household work.·
• National Policy on Child Labour (1987), with a focus more on
rehabilitation of children working in hazardous occupations
and processes, rather than on prevention.·
• Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2000 (the JJ
Act) and amendment of the JJ Act in 2006: includes the working
child in the category of children in need of care and protection,
without any limitation of age or type of occupation. Section 23
(cruelty to Juvenile) and Section 26 (exploitation of juvenile
employee) specifically deal with child labour under children in need
of care and protection.· The Right to Education Act 2009 has made
it mandatory for the state to ensure that all children aged six to 14
years are in school and receive free education. Along with Article
21A of the Constitution of India recognizing education as a
fundamental right, this constitutes a timely opportunity to use
education to combat child labour in India.

INDIA’S 2011 CENSUS SHOWED THAT:

• There were more than 10.2 million “economically active”
children in the age group of five to 14 years – 5.6 million boys
and 4.5 million girls,
• Eight million children were working in rural areas, and 2 million
in urban areas,
• Although in rural settings the number of child workers reduced
from 11 million to 8 million between the 2001 and 2011
censuses, over the same period, the number of children working
in urban settings rose from 1.3 million to 2 million