juvenile delinquency

noun
1
: conduct by a juvenile characterized by antisocial behavior that is
beyond parental control and therefore subject to legal action

2
: a violation of the law committed by a juvenile and not punishable by
death or life imprisonmt

Juvenile delinquency is a term commonly used in academic literature for

referring to a young person who has committed a criminal offence,
although its precise definition can vary according to the local
jurisdiction. The specific reasons underlying these differences are
unclear, but they may arise from the lack of an agreed international
standard.8

A ‘juvenile’ in this context refers to an individual who is legally able to

commit a criminal offence owing to being over the minimum age of
criminal responsibility, but who is under the age of criminal majority,
when a person is legally considered an adult. The minimum age of
criminal responsibility varies internationally between 6 and 18 years,
but the age of criminal majority is usually 18 years.

In some cases individuals older than 18 years may be heard in a juvenile

court, and therefore will still be considered juveniles; indeed, the United
Nations (UN) defines ‘youth’ as between 15 and 24 years of age. The
term ‘child delinquents’ has been used in reference to children below the
age of 13 who have committed a delinquent act,9 although elsewhere
‘children’ are often defined as being under 18 years of age. The term
‘young offenders’ is broad, and can refer to offenders aged under 18
years or include young adults up to their mid-20s.

For several reasons Juvenile delinquency is important in society but there are three specific
reasons. These are:

1. Firstly, children and adolescents commit significant delinquent acts and offenses that result
in violence and other forms of victimization. More than one million children and adolescents
are being arrested by co-ops for their delinquent acts every year.
 
2. Secondly, juvenile delinquency itself shows the general health and prosperity in a society. In
neighbourhoods, due to high levels of delinquency, antisocial behaviour is seen as part of a
larger set of social problems. In this way, juvenile delinquency is troubling because of the
victimization that is inflicted. And, also, the perceptual image of society is unable to provide
adequate control and supervise young people.
 
3. Finally, the meaning of Juvenile delinquency depends on its severity and other factors. For
most young people, juvenile delinquency is a fairly normal facet of growing up. For a small
group of youths, juvenile delinquency is just the beginning stage of what will become
antisocial behaviour for a lifetime.

The causes of and conditions for juvenile crime are usually found at each level of the social structure,
including society as a whole, social institutions, social groups and organizations, and interpersonal
relations. Juveniles’ choice of delinquent careers and the consequent perpetuation of delinquency are
fostered by a wide range of factors, the most important of which are described below.

economic
Juvenile delinquency is driven by the negative consequences of social and economic development, in
particular economic crises, political instability, and the weakening of major institutions (including the
State, systems of public education and public assistance, and the family). Socio-economic instability is
often linked to persistent unemployment and low incomes among the young, which can increase the
likelihood of their involvement in criminal activity.

cultural
Delinquent behaviour often occurs in social settings in which the norms for acceptable behaviour have
broken down. Under such circumstances many of the common rules that deter people from committing
socially unacceptable acts may lose their relevance for some members of society. They respond to the
traumatizing and destructive changes in the social reality by engaging in rebellious, deviant or even
criminal activities. An example of such a setting would be the modernization of traditional societies and
the accompanying changes wrought by the application of new technologies; shifts of this magnitude
affect the types and organization of labour activity, social characteristics, lifestyles and living
arrangements, and these changes, in turn, affect authority structures, forms of obedience, and modes of
political participation—even going so far as to influence perceptions of reality

urbanization
The ongoing process of urbanization in developing countries is contributing to juvenile involvement in
criminal behaviour. The basic features of the urban environment foster the development of new forms
of social behaviour deriving mainly from the weakening of primary social relations and control,
increasing reliance on the media at the expense of informal communication, and the tendency towards
anonymity. These patterns are generated by the higher population density, degree of heterogeneity,
and numbers of people found in urban contexts.

family
Studies show that children who receive adequate parental supervision are less likely to engage in
criminal activities. Dysfunctional family settings—characterized by conflict, inadequate parental control,
weak internal linkages and integration, and premature autonomy—are closely associated with juvenile
delinquency. Children in disadvantaged families that have few opportunities for legitimate employment
and face a higher risk of social exclusion are overrepresented among offenders. The plight of ethnic
minorities and migrants, including displaced persons and refugees in certain parts of the world, is
especially distressing. The countries in transition are facing particular challenges in this respect, with the
associated insecurity and turmoil contributing to an increase in the numbers of children and juveniles
neglected by their parents and suffering abuse and violence at home. The family as a social institution is
currently undergoing substantial changes; its form is diversifying with, for example, the increase in one-
parent families and nonmarital unions. The absence of fathers in many low-income families can lead
boys to seek patterns of masculinity in delinquent groups of peers. These groups in many respects
substitute for the family, define male roles, and contribute to the acquisition of such attributes as
cruelty, strength, excitability and anxiety

migration

Because immigrants often exist in the margins of society and the economy and have little chance of
success in the framework of the existing legal order, they often seek comfort in their own environment
and culture. Differences in norms and values and the varying degrees of acceptability of some acts in
different ethnic subcultures result in cultural conflicts, which are one of the main sources of criminal
behaviour. Native urban populations tend to perceive immigrants as obvious deviants.

media

Television and movies have popularized the “cult of heroes”, which promotes justice through the
physical elimination of enemies. Many researchers have concluded that young people who watch
violence tend to behave more aggressively or violently, particularly when provoked. This is mainly
characteristic of 8- to 12-year-old boys, who are more vulnerable to such influences. Media bring an
individual to violence in three ways. First, movies that demonstrate violent acts excite spectators, and
the aggressive energy can then be transferred to everyday life, pushing an individual to engage in
physical activity on the streets. This type of influence is temporary, lasting from several hours to several
days. Second, television can portray ordinary daily violence committed by parents or peers (the
imposition of penalties for failing to study or for violations of certain rules or norms of conduct). It is
impossible to find television shows that do not portray such patterns of violence, because viewer
approval of this type of programming has ensured its perpetuation.
Peer influence

Youth policies seldom reflect an understanding of the role of the peer group as an institution of
socialization. Membership in a delinquent gang, like membership in any other natural grouping, can be
part of the process of becoming an adult. Through such primary associations, an individual acquires a
sense of safety and security, develops a knowledge of social interaction, and can demonstrate such
qualities as loyalty or leadership. In “adult” society, factors such as social status, private welfare, race
and ethnicity are of great value; however, all members of adolescent groups are essentially in an equal
position and have similar opportunities for advanceThe media Exclusion Juvenile Delinquency World
YOUTH Report, 2003 197 ment in the hierarchical structure.

Effects of Delinquency
Juvenile delinquency is a deep problem that not only affects the victims of the delinquents, but also
affects the juvenile delinquents themselves, their families, and society as a whole. Juvenile
delinquents are not able to predict the effect of their crimes by themselves, but they are badly
affected by these crimes.

Mostly these crimes lead the juveniles to lose their freedom as they might be placed on probation, or
even incarcerated. This also negatively affects their academic welfare because he or she will miss
academic activities that will happen during the probation or incarceration.

In some cases, he/she may be influenced by more experienced juvenile delinquents when the
juvenile is placed in a residential centre for detention. Because of these the juvenile will more likely
to suffer the consequences of re-offense. The delinquency of the minor may dictate and affect his or
her career choices in the future.

Sometimes it becomes a trauma for the members of the family to have a juvenile delinquent in their
family and this creates instability and a sense of insecurity for other members. The family has to face
the needs of the juvenile in trouble and raise lawyer's fees. The families also have an ethical
obligation to the victim of the delinquent. Families are required to attend counselling sessions for the
delinquent. This is costly and disruptive.

Juvenile delinquency is closely related to sexual activities, drug use, gang involvement, etc. All these
hurt the community because they make the community unsafe, and they also led the government to
spend colossal sums of money in school for safety and law enforcement.

As said, juvenile delinquency severely affects various societal groups negatively by affecting the
community, families, individuals, and everyone else who lives in that particular society. The problem
also challenges government, police, various social organizations, educators, faith communities, and
politicians alike.

At last, we can say the effect of delinquency is always negative and bad.

Prevention
It is vital to ensure that families influence children positively due to the contribution of its influence to
delinquent behaviour in juveniles. It can be achieved by showing that there is strong emotional
bonding in the family, and it is laying out effective strategies for communication.
Most of the children are raised from families that do not conform to the traditional form of family. It
should especially be closely watched to curb the development of delinquent behaviour. Schools
should also check the backgrounds of children to fill the gaps that may be left by the parents.
Teachers can also help to counsel a child who is involved in violence at home or a child who has a
criminal parent.

Parents should closely monitor the kind of company of their children. They should make sure that
their children are engaged in productive social activities. It will help in reducing the chances of
children becoming delinquents. Teachers should keep a close eye on pupils to ensure that they are
involved in good activities.

Pupils should be appropriately checked in school to ensure that they should not carry any illegal
objects. It will also help in identifying delinquent children so that they can be corrected in various
ways.

Another way of preventing delinquency, through reducing or eradicating racism from society
because it also affects badly. It always targets the delinquents in minority groups. It will help in the
reduction of several juveniles in these minority groups who commit offenses.

It will also help to increase the self-esteem of teenagers of these minority groups and thus offenses
caused due to low self-esteem will be limited in these minority groups.

JUVENILE STATUS OFFENDERS

One definition of a juvenile status offense is conduct "illegal

only for children." A second is noncriminal misbehavior.
Juvenile status offenders are youths of juvenile court age who
violate laws that define how young people should behave.
These misbehaviors are unlawful for children, but not unlawful
for adults. It is the status of childhood that allows children to be
the subject of a status offense.
Status offenders are habitual truants from school, runaways, or
those considered incorrigible or beyond the control of their
parents. They can be brought before a juvenile or family court
judicial officer since state laws have proscribed these
misbehaviors. Adults who drop out of college, drop out of
society, or regularly flout their parents' rules or desires cannot
be brought before a court. Laws do not ban such adult activities
or allow for court sanctioning.
Juvenile status offenses also include the violation of a curfew
hour that applies only to young people under a certain age.
Their presence in a public setting after a certain hour, except
when the activity is expressly permitted by a curfew law,
subjects them to sanctioning. Another status offense is tobacco
use or possession. Adults may smoke, juveniles may not.
Alcohol possession or use is a status offense, as well, though
this offense requires a partial redefinition. This ban applies to
youths above juvenile court age and who are under twenty-one
years of age. Adults may drink alcohol; young people under
twenty-one may not.
Juvenile status offenders are distinguished from juvenile
delinquent offenders. Status offenders have not committed an
act that would be a crime if committed by an adult; delinquent
youths have committed such an act. A theft or robbery by a
juvenile is a violation of a criminal statute that applies to
juveniles and adults. A juvenile violator is classified as a
juvenile delinquent offender. An adult violator is classified as a
criminal offender. A theft or robbery is a law violation, not a
status offense.
A final status offense is gun possession by a minor. Adults may
generally possess guns; juveniles may not. However, the use of
a gun in the commission of a crime is an offense that applies to
juveniles and adults.

Statistics :
The statistics on Juvenile detention centers and real number of detained individuals are grossly
skewed. In their publication “The State of Pakistan’s Children”, the society for the protection of the
rights of child (SPARC) reported on about 1500-2000 child offenders in Pakistani jails. However, in
March 2021, this figure was estimated to be somewhat higher than 1300. According to the same
news report ‘ninety percent of these perpetrators are just awaiting trial’. As of April 2021, there were
540 minors in Punjab prison including teenage girls, with over 464 awaiting trial. Sindh has around
260 minors imprisoned, KPK has 510, and Balochistan has around 55.[3]

Despite the Juvenile Justice System Act 2018 (JJSA 2018)  being in effect, minors have recently
suffered discrimination and violence at police station and behind prison walls across Pakistan.
Besides police custodial; deaths, JJSA 2018 has raised some other significant questions. JJSA 2018
stipulated that a kid arrested for breaking the law or being found guilty of an offence should be kept
in an observation home rather than at police station. Moreover, the arrest of the child by the police
should be communicated to the child’s parents or guardians, as well as the relevant probation
officer. [6]  The Priyantha case can be seen as significant example for working of juvenile justice
system in Pakistan. In this case, the court issued two independent judgement; one for non-juveniles
and one for juveniles (as nine accused were juveniles). The separation was made in accordance
with juvenile justice system Act of 2108. By ascertaining the ages of the accused at the time of
inquiry, the police worked quite professionally in the case. In conjunction with prosecutors, police
leadership and the main investigative report (under S.173 of the code of Code of Criminal procedure
1898) to the extent of minors. As a result, the court held separate trials for the accused and
convicted them in accordance with JJSA2018. [7

The focus on Juvenile Delinquency or Youth Offending behaviour has been a recurrent
issue that has dominated public and political discourses around the world (Baligar, 2014
& Farrington-Douglas & Durante, 2009), with its origins being traced back to London’s
Report of the Committee for Investigating the Causes of the Alarming Increase in
Juvenile Delinquency in the Metropolis in the 1800s (Committee in to Juvenile
Delinquency, 1816). Since then, Juvenile Delinquency has become an increasingly
complex issue globally, with many countries around the world reporting incidents about
violent youth behaviour (Tan et al., 2013 & Krug et al., 2002).

Current global statistics have highlighted a downward trend in youths arrest and
conviction rates in the past two decades, yet many countries worldwide still consistently
report high rates of violent youth offending annually (Li et al., 2019 & Fagan & Catalano,
2012). In 2009, the USA reported that Juvenile represented 16 percent of their annual
number of arrests, highlighting that approximately 86,000 of these youth were arrested
for committing violent crime (Fagan & Catalano, 2012 & Mapp, 2009). Specifically, in
2015, the World Health Organization reported that approximately 200,000 youth
homicides occur among individuals aged between 10-29 years old, with the main
perpetrators being youths themselves (Li et al., 2019, WHO, 2015 & Krug et al., 2002).
Furthermore, recent crime victimisation surveys in the USA coupled with self-report data
report a high degree continuity of such behaviour among a small percentage of youth
(Young et al., 2017 & Smith, 2008) These were replicated across the world in places
like Australia, report a rise in the amount of violent offences committed by youth residing
in densely populated urban areas despite reductions in juvenile arrest rates in 2013
(Young et al., 2017). Consequently, in the context of this global decrease in youth arrest
rates, these evidences suggest that youth are increasingly committing violent crime,
with a large number of these crime being disproportionately contributed by a small
group of chronic offenders (Young et al., 2017, Farrington-Douglas & Durante, 2009 &
Smith, 2008).

Juvenile Offenders in Detention- National and Provincial Statistics As per data of Juvenile
prisoners reported 1424 cases of juvenile offenders in prisons across Pakistan in 2019, including
1210 undertrial prisoners and 214children convicted of crimes. There was only case of female
juvenile condemned prisoner reported in Sindh Province. The Table below provides statistics of
juvenileoffenders in detention, from 2005 to 2019. Juvenile offenders in Detention Year Under