Exploring Theories of Juvenile Delinquency - Essay Sample

Introduction

Delinquent behavior is that act of failing to do what the law requires. Juveniles fall victims of delinquency behavior through engaging in some criminal activities such as stealing. A juvenile is a person under the age of 18 who fail to abide by the laws. Anomie theory, subcultures theory, differential theory, and social disorganization theory explain the theories on juvenile delinquency. Social disorganization theory has widely talked about delinquency habit. The following is the discussion of social disorganization theory, its relation to juveniles, the causes of juvenile problems, and how to reduce these problems.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

The social disorganization theory was founded in 1942 by Shaw and McKay in Chicago (Chintakrindi,2015). Social disorganization theory is associated with ecological factors such as the environment which are responsible for the behaviour of people (Bond,2015). It is a theory associated with the rise in juvenile criminal activities because of social changes. The society includes the family, school, church and friends who are responsible for bringing people together. These groups are associated with organizing young people together in the community. When a good relationship is established within a community, every individual feels appreciated (Bond,2015). A good relationship reduces involvement in criminal acts by juvenile groups that affect society negatively. The society is responsible for illegal activities associated with the juvenile. According to McKay and Shaw, they affirm that delinquency is not caused willingly but due to some individual problems.

The common belief about this theory is based on the historical, political, economic environment and cultural activities (Bond,2015). These activities allow a human being to coexist peacefully with one another. In the early 1950s, most of the people lived in rural areas, after modernization, most of the people migrated to the urban areas (Chintakrindi,2015). Those who moved in urban areas were financially good while those in the rural area were not. The social difference between the poor and the rich has caused a lot of criminal delinquency among the juvenile. Therefore, criminal behavior is related to the ecological areas where they are residing in. Many areas which are prone to illegal activities have a higher population which is disorganized in terms of its structural organization.

According to McKay and Shaw, there are four assumptions explain delinquency behaviours these are; fall of the community due to the institution controls, sudden growth in urban areas that causes disadvantages to neighbouring communities, location of business in the disadvantaged places that shows competition, and finally neighbourhood that is more disadvantaged and is likely to develop to criminal activities that can replace the society norms(Bond,2015).

Education is one of the factors influencing delinquency behaviour. It is perceived that school drop out is associated with the social challenges we experience in the community. The children who drop out of school are seen by society as future juvenile criminals (Chintakrindi,2015). Another problem caused by education in criminal activities is the lack of employment by the youth after completing school. Many of the young people lack jobs due to few unskilled jobs available (Chintakrindi,2015). The education sector positively affects society. Therefore, children should be encouraged to complete their school education to avoid indulging in criminal activities. Knowledge leads to economic development in the community (Bond,2015). Communities that are economically developed are in a position of preventing crimes in the future. Communities with inadequate economic developments are likely to experience crimes because of the large number of uneducated people.

Urbanization is another cause of juvenile delinquency. When people migrate from the communities to towns, their social status changes. The difference between economic status leads to an increase in criminal acts (Bond,2015). Poverty is one of the factors that result from increasing in illegal activities. Crime rates are high in urban areas compared to rural areas (Bond,2015). The neighbourhood is the leading cause of delinquency due to the transformation from one generation to the another. Juveniles who live in a community where most of the criminals reside are at higher risk of being recruited to join these groups (Bond,2015). Therefore, these criminals' issues can be addressed through social disorganization theory. Individuals who engage in criminal activities have relationships that link to them to these activities (Bond,2015). Urban areas have a higher income flow compared to the communities where there is insufficient income. Living in delinquency places increases the rate of involvement in the crime but factors such as school family and friend that can control you from juvenile delinquency.

The following are factors that can be used to alleviate juvenile delinquency. The first factor is the parent connection to the child (Jones&McMahon,2014). Parents interact with their children most of the time; therefore, they know when their behaviors changes. Building a good relationship between the parent and the child creates a strong relationship (Jones & McMahon, 2014). Connection shows that the parent is caring and supportive of the child. Therefore, it may be hard for the child to engage in criminal activities because the parent will realize any negative behavior shown by the child. The parents should explain to the children their expectations and rules that will govern them in the house to avoid engaging in criminal activities (Jones&McMahon,2014). These rules will minimize the chances of the child from engaging in criminal activities.

Understanding child behavior during the adolescent period is another factor (Jones&McMahon,2014). The behavior of a young person changes a lot during the adolescent period. Before judging their behavior, you should be in a position to interpret the changes. As a profession, you should teach them how to manage the behavior to avoid troubles (Jones&McMahon,2014). Teaching will remind them about the unlawful acts and the consequences. For example, by warning them against stealing because they will face the law. Dealing with the adolescent is sometimes difficult, but peer counselling can be an effective way to reduce delinquent behavior.

Building a system that deals with behavioral management skills. Some of the young people are affected by issues from past trauma that can cause them to engage in criminal activities (Jones&McMahon,2014). The best way to deal with them is by teaching them how to manage their behavior. Another way to manage this behavior is by involving a psychiatrist to study the problem affecting this young person. Having a continuous conversation with the children will also help them to open up about their past experiences (Jones&McMahon,2014). When children open about their problems, it is easier to prevent them from engaging in criminal acts because they receive counselling.

Conclusion

To sum up, most of the young people engage in unlawful activities such as stealing, and this activity is referred to as juvenile delinquency. Social disorganization is a theory that discusses this criminal act. This theory shows the problems that cause juveniles to engage in unlawful activities. Education and urbanization are the main factors that cause young people to indulge in criminal activities. Many of the young people lack employment opportunities that why they find themselves in this criminal activity. There are ways of preventing juvenile delinquency such as parent-child connection and understanding child behavior in the adolescent.

References

Bond.M.(2015). Social Disorganization Theory Explained. Retrieved from: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/criminology-social-disorganization-theory-explained-mark-bond

Chintakrindi.S.(2015). Social Disorganization Theory. Retrieved from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/314337144_Social_Disorganization_Theory

Jones.T&McMahon.J.(2014). Fostering Perspectives. Retrieved from: http://fosteringperspectives.org/fpv18n2/tips.htm