Juvenile Delinquency in Adolescents

Andi Reynolds
SLCC: PSY-1100-018
To begin, the term juvenile delinquent refers to an adolescent who breaks the law or
engages in behavior that is considered illegal (Santrock, 2016). However, there is a very broad
range of behavior that is considered illegal. For example, anything from curfew violations to
homicide can make an adolescent a juvenile delinquent. There are many factors that can cause an
adolescent to become a juvenile delinquent such as abuse, physical issues, mental issues, home
conditions, school conditions, and neighborhood conditions. While all ethnicities can be found in
juvenile detention centers, the most frequently seen are African Americans and Hispanics. This is
closely related to the fact they are more commonly raised in poverty-stricken environments
(YJC, 2012). To illustrate, a poverty-stricken home could cause an adolescent to steal or may
result in joining a street gang (Bridges, 1927). Similarly, almost half of all youth arrests are made
because of theft, simple assault, drug abuse, disorderly conduct, and curfew violations (NCJJ,
2014).
Henceforth, after these adolescents are arrested they are held in residential placement like
juvenile detention facilities or centers (YJC, 2012). Juvenile detention facilities expose troubled
adolescents to an environment that is close to that of an adult jail. Studies show that 70% of the
youth that had stayed in juvenile detention later returned within one year of release (Holman&
Ziedenberg). The reoccurrence of troubled youth in juvenile detention has been shown to be from
the friendships formed in the detention centers itself. Richard Tremblay, a psychology professor
at the University of Montreal, is a co- author of a study on this issue. Tremblay stated, By
having them live together, they form relationships; this is more likely to increase the problem
there is that competition of who is going to do the worst stuff for them, like stealing the biggest
or best car. With that said, this means an adolescent could go to a juvenile detention center for a
small crime, form a relationship with another adolescent who may have done a larger crime, and
this new friend could influence them to do more illegal activities. Along with, the more crimes
the delinquent commits the more likely they are to end up in jail as an adult. This is due to
adolescents seeing themselves as criminals after being held in these types of facilities (Holman&
Ziedenberg). Statistics show between 50%-75% of adolescents who have spent time in juvenile
detentions are incarcerated later in life (Nagin, D.S., & Paternoster, 1991).
In addition, an estimated 12% of youth in juvenile facilities reported one or more
incidents of sexual assault by another youth or facility staff (Beck, Guerino, Harrison, 2010).
This is something that can cause serious psychological damage and could cause the adolescents
to worsen their behavior. Childhood sexual abuse has been shown to heighten levels of
depression, guilt, shame, self-blame, eating disorders, somatic concerns, anxiety, dissociative
,patterns, repression, denial, sexual problems, and relationship problems (Hall, M., & Hall, J.,
2011). When Lovisa Stannow, from Just Detention International, asked some of the correction
leaders on this issue they argued the kids are manipulating the staff and that they were asking
for it (Sapien, 2013). As a result, a happy adolescent could go into a detention center and come
back out with severe psychological issues, which can cause a juvenile delinquents behavior to
worsen. Many people have attempted action on sexual assault in detention facilities and have
given new ideas on how juvenile systems could prevent this issue. One report that was sent to the
National Institution of Justice insisted on making programs and services to productively occupy

the time of the juveniles, as well as crack down on the no touch policy (English, Hail, &
Dunmond, 2011).
Furthermore, there are many ways to prevent an adolescent from becoming a juvenile
delinquent. One way being, for parents to be more involved in their childrens lives. Parents may
have the most control over the behaviors of their children. Studies show when families spend
time together it lessened the possibility for them to become a juvenile delinquent. A survey from
Columbia University in 2011, showed that families who had dinner together 5-7 times a week
were significantly less likely to experiment with illegal substances. Coupled with, there are a
plethora of organizations out there that strive to prevent our youth from being arrested. Such as,
the Prevention Delinquency Project that teaches parents/guardians how to be proactive about
supervision, provide guidelines on how to help with children who are already showing
behavioral problems, and have volunteers that will help out parents/guardians (Bartol, 2012). In
conclusion, juvenile delinquency in adolescents is pressing matter that is affecting the youths
future.

References
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