Juvenile Delinquency & Adult Crime: Exploring the Link - Essay Sample

Introduction

The issue of crime prevention by making use of appropriate initiatives aimed at reducing juvenile delinquency levels and subsequent adult criminal behavior has been in the talk of many in the past years. This has led to a myriad of research experiments by persons interested in the study of social crime trends, psychology, and general development of an individual. Various authors have, in the process, exploited different angles of the issue in an attempt to explain the link between day-to-day' social occurrences and the prevalence of criminal traits among the youth. Such social activities include economic position, adverse childhood experiences, and poor parenting, among others. As a result of this in-depth examination, some amicable solutions to this menace have been proposed, and it is highly believed that proper implementation will bring a long lasting relief.

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Over the years, scientific research has always shown that parenting roles play a significant function in the development of a child. Children rely on their elders for behavior molding. If an older person, with particular attention to parents, warns against certain activities, the young ones are never likely to go against it. Indeed, in his research, Glen D. W (2019) found out that it is less likely for a child whose parents have issued warnings about criminal activities at early ages to get involved in such activities. To further reinforce the effect of parenting on criminal involvement of the youth, it was found out that majority of youth that portrays delinquent and criminal behavior are from broken families or just lost their parents at their early ages (Hirsch, 2017). At this point, therefore, a dedicated synergy should be directed towards ensuring that parents are aware of these findings so that they can help in mentoring the children towards being responsible and law abiding citizens. This can be ensured by parents talking openly to their children about their concerns, ensuring that they get involved in their children's schooling and relationships, and most importantly, acting as role models themselves (Liu, Patacchini & Zenou, 2014).

Another school of thought has linked juvenile delinquency and criminal involvement to adverse childhood experiences. On similar grounds, psychologists have always held to the idea that such experiences can have two different effects on a child's behavior, just like the two sides of a coin. While some tend to seek revenge at their later stages of life, others usually resort to protecting other naive and innocent juniors from such atrocities by offering their stories. When Connolly E. J (2019) carried a comparison experiment on two siblings to investigate such links between undesirable childhood experiences and future delinquent trends, he found a weaker correlation between the two. This among other studies suggest, therefore, that efforts can be made to protect the young ones from violent conditions while ensuring that the exposed children don't live with this grudge and end up being violent in their youth ages (Finkelhor & Johnson, 2017).

According to authors like Thornberry (2018), Eleonora and Lung-Fei (2012), among others, crime and delinquent behavior is frequently evident among some specific groupings of youth. In their works, they have suggested that such groups are socially excluded, less religious, live with parental figures of lower educational levels, and are mostly male. Even if they fail to take part in criminal activities directly, research reveals that they abet their commitment. They further suggest that if deliberate and well-structured approaches could be taken to eliminate or reduce to manageable levels the number of youth belonging to these groups, the delinquency and criminal levels among the juveniles could be heavily reduced. This elimination can be achieved by keeping the youth and children in monitored group activities such as sporting and education, according to Hirsch (2017). By being involved in such activities, they develop decision-making skills and also learn how to interact with others in society to forge positive relationships.

In their work, W. Paterson and Walter (2018) set to investigate the relationship between being involved in bullying activities and the adolescent gang joining. To begin with, research has revealed that only a few females get involved in bullying activities as compared to their male counterparts. Much troubling fact is that the males associated at one point with bullying have a fairly large likelihood of subscribing to or aiding in accomplishment of criminal and delinquent behaviors in their adolescent ages. This can explain why most of the youth criminal groups are full of males (Gottfredson, 2017). To enhance the findings of this research for the betterment of the situation, various policymakers need to examine the position of males in today's society and why the majority of them end up being bitter in their adolescent ages, to the extent of joining criminal gangs. According to Gotfredson (2017), various persons who interact with the children and youth most of the time, such as the parents and the educationalists should ensure training that discourages their participation in bullying acts. This will ensure that they do not resort to gang groups and violence as a way of settling scores during their juvenile ages.

Conclusion

In conclusion, experts have weighed into this subject with varied perspectives. Most of them hold the relevant solutions that are sought to correct the situation that is slowly getting out of control. A common ground of the arguments should be found so that proper implementation is done. For instance, since research has shown that a whopping 90 percent of the detained juveniles in prison facilities would like to pursue education, such a tool like education can be used to keep the adolescents busy. Additional investment in research targeting juvenile delinquency and involvement in criminal gangs should be fast-tracked to add to the already existent literature material.

References

Brown, A (2018). Using Latent Class Analysis to Explore the Subtypes of Youth Who Have Committed Sexual Offenses (December 25, 2018) available at https://doi.org/10.1177/1541204018820578

Connolly, E, J. (2019). Further Evaluating the Relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences, Antisocial Behaviour, and Violent Victimization: A sibling Comparison Analysis available at https://doi.org/10.1177/1541204019833145

Finkelhor, D., & Johnson, M., (2017). Has psychiatric medication reduced crime and delinquency? Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 18(3), 339-347.

Glenn D. W. (2019). Positive Parents and Negative Peers: Assessing the Nature and Order of Caregiver and Friend Effects in Predicting Early Delinquency. Available at https://doi.org/10.1177/1541204019831751

Gottfredson, M., (2017). Control Theories of Crime and Delinquency. Routledge.

Hirsch, T., (2017). Causes of delinquency. Routledge.

Jonathan W. Diamond, B, C & Karas, S. (2019). Decoupling the Labeling Tradition: Exploring Gang Affiliation and the Application of the Law. Available at https://doi.org/10.1177/1541204017689492

Kremer, P.K & Vaughn, G, M. (2018). College Aspirations among Incarcerated Juvenile Offenders: The Importance of Maternal Education and Neglect. Available at https://doi.org/10.1177/1541204018821416

Liu, X, Patacchini, E & Zenou, Y. (2014). Journal of Economic Behaviour & Organisation 103, 39-59, 2014, Pages 39-59, 60-71 available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2014.03.025

Matza, D., (2018). Delinquency and Drift. Routledge.

Thornberry, T., (2018). Developmental theories of crime and delinquency. Routledge.

Walter, W. Peterson, S, D. (2018). "Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones, But Bullying Will Get Me Bangin": Bullying Involvement and Adolescent Gang Joining (November 15, 2018) available at https://doi.org/10.1177/1541204018809841

Xiaodong, L, Eleonora, P, Yves, Z & Lung-Fei, and L. (2012). Criminal Networks: Who is the Key Player? FEEM Working Paper No. 39.2012 available at https://ssrn.com/abstract=2089267