Juvenile Delinquency on the Rise..............whom to Blame - Our Failing Social Norms or Deplitating Moral Fibre
A child is said tro be an innocent creation of god who treats everyone as an equal. He does not distinguish between the rich and the poor, and does not judge or alienate people on the basis of their caste or creed.
So how does such an innocent being turn into an unrelenting and emotionless evil being, for whom, his own pleasure and happiness surpasses that of the others?
This is a question that many of us ask, but yet find it impossible to fathom. We are unable to comprehend the real reasons or causes that turn these innocent beings into narcissistic individuals who find pleasure in committing unlawful and delinquent activities.
It has often been noted that juvenile delinquency, is directly on indirectly related to broken families, drug-infested neighborhoods, mental illness, or peer pressure.
As per a study performed, by the National Research Institute of Legal Policy, the following graph was drawn, representing the various forms of delinquency perfo
So what can be done to prevent them from committing unlawful acts ? Does punishment or juvenile detention alone solve these issues , or we require more thorough and extensive steps, which not only weed out these issues out but also prevents them from further spreading and destroying other youth.
Like, " Rome was not built in a day ", juvenile delinquency is not a problem that can be solved in an instant. It requires a proper identification and understanding of the cause, followed by a proper and thorough evaluation and implementation of the solution.
If treated in a proper, delicate and efficient manner, with equal and full participation and help from the society, juvenile delinqency can be wiped off on a permanent basis.
Identification and Understanding Of The Cause:
1.Family:
Family is the basic socialization agency for the children. They learn, the basic concepts of good and bad, right and wrong, from their families.
But when these families, fail to establish a proper foundation for their children, by often indulging in fights, criminal activities or drug abuse, it indirectly motivates their children to commit these acts, to fulfill their desires or attain things beyond their reach.
2.Personal Issues:
Sometimes, irrespective of a good family, and proper surroundings, children get involved in delinquent activities. This might be, either due to the hardships that he faces, because of his psychological or physical handicap, or because of racism, that makes him aggressive and revengful towards the society.
3.Peer group influence:
Peer group is a very strong force, which often forces children to commit unlawful acts, to avoid peer group rejection.
Children in their innocent state, often believe, that these groups would give them a sense of fame and importance, which are otherwise difficult to attain. They fail to realize that this type of fame is often shortived, and is often accompanied by repercussions that they have to carry throughout their life.
4.Society:
Society plays a strong role, in developing personality of the teens. Developing negative feelings from society, in the form of labeling, for crimes commited in a volatile state, often results in the children repeating these crimes on a regular basis.
5.Television and Movie Violence:
The correlation between violent content and its influence on juvenile minds cannot be understated. It has been noted, that television programs, movies and video games often incite violent and anti-social behavior in the youth. Long term exposure to which can not only increase the likelihood of aggressive behavior but also anti- social and unlawful activity.
Evaluation and Implementation of Solutions for the Underlying Problems:
1.Individual, group and organizational efforts should be made to keep adolescents from breaking the law.
2.The family should have a positive attitude towards life and society. They should display positive values, norms and standards of society, that would not only moulds their minds but also make them develop a positive outlook on life.
3.Parents should keep a track on their childrens friends and other mates. In case of any disability parents and teachers should talk to the affected teens, try to solve their problems in a sensitive yet effective manner.
4.Parents and guardians should create a healthy and friendly relationship with the children. In this way children would feel free to communicate and share, anything and everyhting with them.
5.Parents should always keep a track of the television programmes, movies and video games that their children follow and prevent them from watching or following violent content.
In conclusion:
Children are like sponge, often imbibing the characteristics that are displayed in front of them. Owing to which, it becomes important that we as individuals, take it upon ourselves, to st good examples for the youth, by not only being conscious, but also aware of the words and actions that we display in front of them.
As after all, a child's mind is like a piece of clay, which when moulded at the right time, could lead to the formation of, exemplary and model human beings.