Northwestern Visayan Colleges

Graduate School MAEd Program

Kalibo, Aklan

Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

For many young people today, traditional patterns guiding the relationships and

transitions between family, school, and work are being challenged. Social relations that

ensure a smooth process of socialization are collapsing; lifestyle trajectories are

becoming more varied and less predictable.

The restructuring of the labor market, the extension of the maturity gap (the

period of dependence of young adults on the family) and, arguably, the more limited

opportunities to become an independent adult are all changes influencing relationships

with family and friends, educational opportunities and choices, leisure activities and

lifestyles. It is not only developed countries that are facing this situation; in developing

countries like the Philippines, there are new pressures on young people undergoing the

transition from childhood to independence.

Rapid population growth, the unavailability of housing and support services,

poverty, unemployment and underemployment among youth, the decline in the authority

of local communities, overcrowding in poor urban areas, the disintegration of the family,

and ineffective educational systems are some of the pressures young people must deal

with (Wolfgang, Thornberry & Figlio, 2014).

Youth nowadays, regardless of gender, social origin or country of residence, are

subject to individual risks but are also being presented with new individual opportunities

some beneficial and some potentially harmful. Quite often, the advantage is being taken
 Northwestern Visayan Colleges
Graduate School MAEd Program
Kalibo, Aklan

of illegal opportunities as young people commit various offenses, become addicted to

drugs, and use violence against their peers (Wolfgang, Thornberry & Figlio, 2014).

Statistical data indicate that in virtually all parts of the world, rates of juvenile

delinquency or youth crime rose in a tremendous height and many of the criminal

offenses are related to drug abuse and excessive alcohol use (UN Report, 2010).

The majority of studies and programs dealing with juvenile delinquency focus on

youth as offenders. However, adolescents are also victims of criminal or delinquent acts.

The continuous threat of victimization is having a serious impact on the socialization of

young men and on their internalization of the norms and values of the larger society.

The problem of juvenile delinquency is becoming more complicated and

universal, and crime prevention programs are either unequipped to deal with the present

realities or do not exist. Many developing countries have done little or nothing to deal

with these problems, and international programs are obviously insufficient. Developed

countries are engaged in activities aimed at juvenile crime prevention, but the overall

effect of these programs is rather weak because the mechanisms in place are often

inadequate to address the existing situation.

Cognizant of the importance of the above issue, the researcher prompted to

conduct a study to find out the factors that contribute to juvenile delinquency as

perceived by juvenile delinquents in San Remigio, Antique, hence, this study.

 Northwestern Visayan Colleges
Graduate School MAEd Program
Kalibo, Aklan

Statement of the Problem

This study aimed to find out the factors that contribute to juvenile delinquency as

perceived by juvenile delinquents in San Remigio, Antique.

Specifically, it sought to answer the following specific questions:

1. What are the factors that contribute to juvenile delinquency in terms of

individual, family, mental health, substance abuse, economic, social, and cultural?

2. What motivate youths to become juvenile delinquents?

Theoretical Framework

This study is anchored on the following theories: Rational Choice Theory, Social

Disorganization Theory, and Strain Theory.

Rational Choice Theory posits that delinquency is one of the major factors

motivated by rational choice. Classical criminology stresses that causes of crime lie

within the individual offender, rather than in their external environment. For classicists,

offenders are motivated by rational self-interest, and the importance of free will and

personal responsibility is emphasized (Eadie & Morley, 2015).

Social Disorganization Theory, on the other hand, is a type of criminological

theory attributing variation in crime and delinquency over time and among territories to

the absence or breakdown of communal institutions (e.g. family, school, church and

social groups.) and communal relationships that traditionally encouraged cooperative

relationships among people. This theory emphasized that the breakdown of communal

institutions contributed to delinquency or crime (Eadie & Morley, 2015).

 Northwestern Visayan Colleges
Graduate School MAEd Program
Kalibo, Aklan

Strain Theory is associated mainly with the work of Robert Merton where he

suggests that there are institutionalized paths to success in society. Strain theory holds

that crime is caused by the difficulty those in poverty have in achieving socially valued

goals by legitimate means (Eadie & Morley, 2015). As those with, for instance, poor

educational attainment has difficulty achieving wealth and status by securing well-paid

employment, they are more likely to use criminal means to obtain these goals (Brown,

2014). Merton's suggests five adaptations to this dilemma: (1) Innovation: individuals

who accept socially approved goals, but not necessarily the socially approved means; (2)

Retreatism: those who reject socially approved goals and the means for acquiring them;

(3) Ritualism: those who buy into a system of socially approved means, but lose sight of

the goals. Merton believed that drug users are in this category; (4) Conformity: those who

conform to the system's means and goals; and (5) Rebellion: people who negate socially

approved goals and means by creating a new system of acceptable goals and means

(Brown, 2014).

Conceptual Framework

Youthful crime or juvenile delinquency is not something new in human affairs. 

But in this present day, the problem of juvenile delinquency has assumed such

proportions as to cause grave concern to the community and to call for special comment

and prompt remedy.

Several factors had been identified by authorities as to the root causes of this

antisocial or illegal behavior of young children or adolescents. These factors are

individual, family, mental health, substance abuse, and many others.

 Northwestern Visayan Colleges
Graduate School MAEd Program
Kalibo, Aklan

The researchers, therefore, conceptualized in this study that several factors

contribute to the occurrence of juvenile delinquency in the community.

Factors
Individual
Family
Mental Health Juvenile
Substance Abuse Delinquency
Economic
Social
Cultural

Figure 1. The paradigm of the Study

Significance of the Study

The results of this study will be beneficial to the following:

Learners. The learners should be aware of the factors that contribute to Juvenile

delinquency and they will do away with these factors for better or brighter future.

Teenagers. The teenagers in the community will benefit the results of this study

for this will increase their understanding of the negative effects of juvenile delinquency

as well as the factors contributing to it. Knowledge of these factors will give them the

appropriate warning not to do this illegal behavior that might ruin or destroy their bright

future.

Parents. Parents too will also find this study beneficial for they will be informed

about the factors that contribute to juvenile delinquency. Thus, they will be given the

opportunity to play their important role in educating their children about the negative

consequences attached to this misbehavior. This will also warn parents to constantly
 Northwestern Visayan Colleges
Graduate School MAEd Program
Kalibo, Aklan

monitor the behavior of their young children in order not to become juvenile delinquents

in the future.

Law Enforcement Agencies. This study will benefit directly or indirectly the

law enforcement agencies for they will be furnished with information relative to the

factors that contribute to juvenile delinquency. These data will serve as a basis for

strengthening the campaign against juvenile delinquency in their respective areas of

responsibility.

DSWD Officials and Employees. Ultimately this study will benefit the officials

and employees of DSWD for they will be informed about the cases of juvenile

delinquents in the community. Knowing the results of this study, they will be encouraged

to implement programs to help young children understand the true nature of juvenile

delinquency as well as the factors contributing to it. Hence, young children will improve

their understanding of what juvenile delinquency is all about and they will be prevented

from committing this antisocial and illegal behavior.

Other researchers. This study will arouse the interest and desire of other

researchers and scholars in digging up further the factors that contribute to juvenile

delinquency which is very common problems of the society today. In addition, this study

may serve as useful reference material for their attempts to replicate this study.

Scope and Limitations of the Study

 Northwestern Visayan Colleges
Graduate School MAEd Program
Kalibo, Aklan

This study determined the factors that contribute to juvenile delinquency as

perceived by juvenile delinquents in San Remigio, Antique.

The participants of this study were six purposively selected juvenile delinquents

presently under the custody of Municipal Social Welfare and Development (MSWD) in

the Municipality of San Remigio, Province of Antique.

Data in this study were gathered using a questionnaire-checklist constructed by

the researcher and duly validated by jury members.

The quantitative data gathered in this study were analyzed using frequency,

percentage, and rank as descriptive statistical tools while qualitative data was analyzed

through thematic analysis.

Definition of Terms

To aid understanding of the contents of the entire study, the following terms are

conceptually and operationally defined:

Cultural factors refer to things related to values that contribute to juvenile

delinquency.

Delinquency refers to criminal behavior displayed by teenagers in the San

Remigio, Antique.

Economic factors refer to aspects related to the economy that contribute to

juvenile delinquency.

Factors refer to reasons why teenagers committed antisocial behavior that

contributed to juvenile delinquency.

 Northwestern Visayan Colleges
Graduate School MAEd Program
Kalibo, Aklan

Family factors refer to issues or things related to the family that contribute to

juvenile delinquency.

Individual factors refer to personal factors that contribute to juvenile

delinquency.

Juvenile refers to young teenagers whose age is 18 years and below of San

Remigio, Antique.

Mental health refers to psychological factors affecting an individual that

contribute to juvenile delinquency.

Minor refers to young individuals who are below the legal age of 18 years of San

Remigio, Antique.

Social factors refer to things affecting one’s social life which contribute to

juvenile delinquency.

Substance abuse refers to the use of alcohol and harmful drugs that contribute to

juvenile delinquency.