JUVENILE DELINQUENCY

1. What is delinquency and who are the juveniles? It refers to a minor.

The word delinquency refers to:
(1) Acts that are prohibited by the law.
(2) All sorts of antisocial and deviant behaviour, not necessarily defined by law

The cut-off for penal responsibility is 15 years of age in the CR.

2. Juvenile delinquency is currently legally defined as an act committed by a minor (an

individual who falls under the statutory age limit, in most states either 17 or 18) who
violates… (complete from the slides).
3. A brief history:
 Before the 20th century: little distinction between adult and juvenile
offenders; adults and children eligible for the same forms of criminal
punishment.
 By the end of the 19th century: change of societal consciousness regarding the
problems of youth. First separate juvenile court established in 1899 in Chicago
followed by other states; new juvenile systems with parens patriae (the state
is the father) philosophy: children should not be punished; instead, state
should provide care and custody.
 Moderns study on juvenile delinquency: study of juvenile delinquency is
interdisciplinary (criminology, sociology, psychology…). The research goal is to
monitor prevalence and incidence of juvenile delinquency in the country and
on international level, explain it using individual social factors, and targeting…
(slides).
4. Features of juvenile delinquency:
 Hugh diffusiveness.
 High latency: great proportion of the juvenile crime is never revelled.
 Group character: typical characteristic of this type of delinquency.
 Episodic character (14-16 years): usually without tendency to perseverate.
 Lower degree of planning: the risk of detection is a bit higher than in adults.
 Higher brutality: if you don’t plan it, it is difficult to control the situation
(limited rationality, unintended situations…).
 Offenders: often boys (especially for more serious crimes): ethnic minorities,
2nd generation migrants.
 Often committed: less serious property crimes.
 The core of persistent offenders is relatively small.
5. Factors and determinants:
 Individual factors: gender, age, self-control, tolerance of violence (positive
attitude towards violence).
 Social factors: family (structure…), school (truancy, disorganization…), peer
relation (spending time with, knowing delinquent peers), religion, job
(unemployment…).
6. Two delinquent pathways (T. Moffitt):
 Life-time persistent offenders: neuropsychological deficit, problems in the
interaction with social environment (parenting). It represents a 3,5% of
population.
 Adolescence-limited offenders: caused by “maturity gap”. An imitation- model
behaviour of persistent offenders. Desistance (approaching adulthood).
 7. Juvenile delinquency theories:
 Strain theory: frustration, deprivation…
 Social learning theory.
 Social control theory: lack of control, lack of social self-control.
 Situational approach: offender + target + absent guard.
 Labelling theory: social reaction.
 SAT (Situational Action Theory): self-control + moral + opportunities.
 IAT (Institutional Anomie Theory): imbalance of subsystems, dominance of
economy.
8. How to measure juvenile delinquency?
 Official statistics are easily available but have some limitations.
 Self-report studies: social surveys based on anonymous statements.
(v) Substantively better information, not limited to legally defined offences.
(*) Weakness: sensitivity of the topic, underreporting, suitable for less serious
offences (expensive, not numerous).
9. ISRD design:
 Focus on delinquency and risky behaviour of juveniles and important risk and
protective factors in the areas of: family, school, neighbourhoods, leisure time and
peers.
 Theoretical background: especially social control theory (social bonding, general
theory of crime), SAT, IAT.

(slides).

10. Summary: