Juvenile delinquency is a term given to juveniles who commit criminal acts. Juveniles are defined as those who are under the age of eighteen or those who haven’t reached the age of adulthood. What defines adulthood in court may be proposed by law, particularly for minor offenses. Juveniles who commit major crimes may compel the courts to try them as adults. This is a crucial distinction because the ensuing verdict can mean not just spending adolescence, but a lifetime behind bars. Delinquency is generally defined as performing acts deemed illegal by the state. As such, juvenile delinquency can cover anything from minor crimes to the more serious ones such as theft, felony and murder.
In case anyone under the age of eighteen commits a crime, most often they are tried and judged through a legal system distinct from that which tries adults. In the event that they have been proven to have committed a grievous offense, they may be sent to confinement centers or juvenile detention centers that are specifically designed for juveniles who commit serious crimes.
In most instances, the case is left to the court’s discretion to decide the degree of risk the juvenile poses to society as well as the potential benefits that can be incurred by confinement. Juvenile court judges are more qualified to handle cases especially those involving young children. They often have the responsibility to look for alternative means of rehabilitating a juvenile and preventing future delinquency. They can also endorse court approved therapy, house arrest, or other measures short of imprisonment. In most cases, the criminal records of juveniles are effaced when they reach eighteen, especially if they haven’t committed any other crime.
There are a multitude of theories as to the contributing factors that may eventually lead to juvenile delinquency. A lot of these are linked to nature/nurture principles. This is anchored on the fact that juveniles who are abused and neglected are more likely to fall into delinquency patterns. However, despite of its statistical relevance, such notion does not take into account the delinquency of those who have good family background and support.
Genetics has also been implicated to play a role in juvenile delinquency; however, experts argue that it can only constitute a predisposition toward a certain behavior. Then again nurturance or the lack of which may provide the necessary circumstances to cause the behavior. In addition, awareness of the early onset of a mental disorder is crucial in identifying the appropriate rehabilitative efforts for juvenile delinquents. Once the primary factors that lead to delinquency have been established, juveniles can be given consideration as to their ability to control their behavior. The single, most significant way to determine the best rehabilitation in juvenile delinquency trials is the pursuit to identify and understand the cause/s of the child’s erratic behavior, and what specific instances contributed to this delinquency.
Another popular approach to tackle the problem is to conceptualize programs that help deter juveniles from committing crimes. Such programs typically focus on preventing drug use or may concentrate on early education or assistance to the impoverished. Without a single identifiable cause of juvenile delinquency, these programs may provide some success. Though society’s efforts to curb juvenile delinquency are commendable, it is important to note that they are not universally successful. Nonetheless, the mere act of preventing juvenile delinquency through intervention is better than just allowing it to occur.

Just recently, CNN reported a heart-breaking news about a Berkeley teen who was convicted in the murder of his father. The victim was raising three kids on his own when one of them, for reasons unknown, murdered him with a gunshot to the head.  The judge handling the case found the 16-year-old teen guilty of first-degree murder with an enhancement for using a gun in the death of his 40-year-old father.

When the teen was sentenced, the judge could have him locked up in the California Division of Juvenile Justice until he reaches the age of 25. He could also face a variety of other sentences, including being placed on probation and sent home, being sent to a group home or placed in minimum security reform centers. Regardless of what happens, a life was lost and the life of the teenager and those of his siblings are put in jeopardy with the uneventful passing of their father who is supposed to guide them in today’s chaotic environment.

Teen violence is increasingly becoming one of the most serious problems of modern society. It is a curse not only for the victim but for his/her family and the entire society as well. It is also responsible for thousands of deaths every year around the world.  This kind of violence alienates the victim from his/her family, friends and loved ones. Teenagers who engage in violence, generally try to keep themselves away from everyone. Psychologists explain that they do so for the sake of getting away from social embarrassment. Teen abuse lawyers advocate that the victim must get proper legal support at such delicate phase of her/his life.

Young adults are complicated, inquisitive, and filled with potential. Once left unchecked, they can blow up in a million pieces, causing problems resulting to irreparable damage or even death. This is precisely the reason why parents are endowed with the moral obligation to guide their teens during this crucial stage in their lives.

Oftentimes teenagers find their peer groups to be more significant to them than their parents. This being the case, it is as if parents are handling over the life of their teen to the type of group he/she may belong to. With this change come different expectations. This is why friends are such a key developmental and influential factor in the teenage years. Many teens who get involved in gangs are simply trying to live out their new group’s expectations rather than their parents’. Adolescents are all on an equal plane when it comes to violent behavior. Regardless of background, almost all adolescents become significantly more violent after puberty and it drops off again somewhere in their mid-20s.