Introduction
Juvenile delinquency remains a major social problem in the United States despite the falling overall rates of crime in the country. Every year, about 2.5 million juveniles are arrested for various crimes in the U.S., of which about 100,000 fall in the violent crime category (Clarkson, 2013). In fact, it is believed that this social problem may be bigger than arrests indicate, considering that only around fifty percent of juvenile crimes are ever reported. In the last couple of decades, juvenile crimes are estimated to have remained generally constant, accounting for a considerable percentage of many other crimes in America e.g. 50 percent of all arson arrests; 40 percent of all vandalism arrests; and about a third of all burglary arrests.
Juvenile delinquency has been a major area of interest to sociologists, espousing such sociological theories as social disorganization, and theories explaining juvenile delinquency as a cultural tradition in some areas of society, and theories that perceive juvenile delinquency as a product of much cultural emphasis on material gain and social status (Clarkson, 2013). The main focus of sociological research into juvenile delinquency has therefore been on the traits of a delinquent child as opposed to the causes of the delinquency itself. The little research that exists on the causal factors underlying delinquent behavior does not clearly underscore the major causes of the problem particularly in delinquent criminal populations of America (OJJDP, 2000). This study strikes to explore, which among the many causes of juvenile crime, are the major causes among populations with high propensity for criminal behavior in the United States.
Research question
The research question of this research paper is: What are the major causal factors for juvenile delinquency in American juvenile criminal population?
Justification of Study
The aim of this research is to explore the social issue of juvenile delinquency and evaluate the causal factors of the problem. A significant amount of sociological researches in juvenile delinquency have been carried in the past, but understanding particularly of the causal factors for delinquency in children remains scanty (Shoemaker & Wolfe, 2005). Therefore, there is need for a comprehensive sociological research into the cause of juvenile behaviors. The increasing concern about crime and lawlessness are leading to the appreciation of the fact that criminal acts usually have their roots in the delinquencies of children (Clarkson, 2013).
By conducting this research, the researcher anticipates to gain further knowledge about the social problem of juvenile delinquency as relates to its causes. In addition, the researcher believes that the findings and recommendations of this research will go a long way in helping sociologists and the juvenile justice system in the United States in devising more effective interventions for assisting at-risk youth, preventing them in indulging in crime, and tailor corrective programs to cultivate and nurture pro-social behavior in the juvenile criminal population .
Hypothesis
This research has one hypothesis: Juvenile delinquency is a product of several causal factors.
Literature Review
Beck (1954) observed that agencies for helping delinquent children did not offer sufficient or the right kind of services as all they did is lock up the youngsters without making any attempt to investigate the causes of the child’s delinquency and help him correct it accordingly. Such attempt would significantly help in preventing the juvenile from persisting to become the criminal of tomorrow (Clarkson, 2013).
A series of early studies have associated the problem of juvenile delinquency with underprivileged neighborhoods. A study by Thornberry et al. (2004) have concluded that delinquent juveniles in slum neighborhoods, as compared to their non-delinquent colleagues in the same neighborhood, are often raised by parents who, as a result of their own inadequacies, are not able to establish foundations for a well-balanced, consistent, and socially normal personality in the early stages of the individual child’s character development (Sheehan, 2010).
Wright and Wright (1994) stated that an unhealthy home environment was the major causal factor for delinquency, where parents failed in monitoring the behavior whereabouts as well as company of their children. Delinquency has also been said to be a direct result of parent’s failure to discipline their children for antisocial behavior or their practice of overly harsh and authoritarian punishment (Thornberry et al, 2004).
However, Sheehan’s (2010) research on persons mandated to observe the behavior of young boys and girls showed that delinquency was on the rise mostly manifested in arson and vandalism transcended class and castle, thus having little connection with individual background of the delinquent child. Wilson (2000) attributed juvenile delinquency to a single factor, particularly social disorganization in neighborhoods, poverty, problematic peer influences, ego deficiency among other causal factors (Sheehan, 2010). On the other hand, Muhammad (2008) generally perceived juvenile delinquency as a result of a multiplicity of factors operating at different levels – including both distal and proximal factors.
Methodology
Research design
This research utilized a self-report methodology of analysis same as that used by Farrington et al. (2002), that incorporated reliable and valid measures as utilized by Van Hullem D’Onfrio, Rodgers, Waldman, and Lahey (2007). Delinquency was defined as self-reporting as relates to the regularity of a child committing certain criminal actions in a span of six months. Thus, the research measured the frequency of juvenile stealing items worth less than $5; stealing items worth between $5 and $50; theft of items worth over $50; stealing a credit card, car; robbery, aggressive sexual behavior; fighting; drinking; selling and/or using marijuana or other drugs; and ditching school. The actions were categorized as either aggressive or nonaggressive delinquent behavior for the sake of analysis of the distinct causal factors for each (Friesen, 2010). The causal factors were described as Attention Deficit and Impulsivity problems, Academic Achievement, Depression and Mood, Parental Supervision, Parental Communication, Parental Reinforcement, Peer Behaviors, Socioeconomic Status, and Housing Status. Each of the causal factors made use of self-report measures of the juvenile, and those originating from the family, as well as factors related to one the juvenile’s parents or guardians. These categorizations have high explanatory ability for the different reason causing the different kinds of juvenile behavior (Ali, 2008). These factors served as independent variables for the research, while the dependent variable were the frequency of delinquent behavior.
Sampling
The sample population for this study was juveniles of high school age. Recruitment was done on campus at schools in a major American city. The schools were in neighborhoods of different socioeconomic backgrounds, providing diverse sample economically and racially. After obtaining official permissions from schools, interviewers supplied contact numbers to students during recruitment to facilitate an interview with them and their parents. The participants were screened with a string of demographic questions pertaining to their age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, as well as frequency of delinquent behavior (Thornberry et al, 2004). The participants’ feedback was kept secure and confidential. Recruitment was narrowed to juveniles that reported some frequency of criminal activity within the last six months. The sample size included about 15 percent African-American youth and 20 percent Hispanic youth. The sample size also included roughly equal numbers of boys and girls for the sake of representative sample of minors in the American population (Friesen, 2010). A total of 100 students were interviewed.
Variable Assessment
Participants were interviewed from their homes after school. The interviews for the students and their parents lasted between 2-3 hours. Confidentially and honesty of responses were ensured by having only the interviewer and the respondents in the room during interview. The measures for dependent variables consisted feedback to the frequency of varied delinquent behaviors in the last six months. Responses were arranged basing on the frequency over the previous week, previous month, and previous six month. The interviewer used such temporal cues as New Year, Super Bowl to help respondents recall the events and frequencies.
The independent variables consisted of a 14-question measure for hyperactivity basing on behavior reported by the parent. Measuring mood was done using the Beck Depression Inventory self report that include 0-3 ratings of the 30 questions evaluating the different elements of depression. To record academic achievement factor, the study used the reported grade point average reported by student and parent. School administration was asked to corroborate the grade point averages following consent from the student and parent.
The other independent variables were accessed: parent supervision consisted four questions each to the student and parent, and rated on scales of 0-3 frequency; parent reinforcement included eight questions to the parent and student, relation to how behavior is reinforced and the frequency; communication between child and parent was assessed using 30 questions to each participant, recorded on communication scales; socioeconomic status used the Hollingshead index to score parental educational level, occupational prestige among other related information by the parent; housing was assessed by the interviewer by considering structural conditions of the home, hygiene, and state of repair; peer behavior was based on participant feedback, evaluating the number of friends that participate in different delinquent behavior which served, as well, as dependent variable of the participant.
Analysis
Analysis of the collected information was done using multivariate regression analysis. The technique was suitable as it is often used for studies researching multiple causes of juvenile delinquency because it enabled the investigator to understand the relationships between individual independent variables (used as causal or predictive factors), and the dependent variable – juvenile delinquency. It is also effective in showing between-group differences by averaging relationships between groups of students in terms of neighborhood, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, gender etc, and making comparisons (Friesen, 2010).
By testing the distribution of particular correlations, their mean, skew, and curve shape by plotting the correlations, the researcher could identify within-group correlations. Contact information of the participants was preserved and updated annually so as to facilitate follow-up study to determine how changes in independent variables correlate with modifications in delinquency, or adult criminal behavior, further facilitating within-group comparisons.
Discussion
Juvenile delinquency is defined a criminal act committed by a young person of under the age of 18 (Ali, 2008). These are acts or behaviors that were they to be committed by an adult, they amount to a crime, or a disorderly persons offense, or a petty disorderly persons offense, or even a violation of any of the other penal statute, regulation or ordinance. The results of this study supported the hypothesis: juvenile delinquency is a product of several causal factors. The results identified the major causal factors of juvenile delinquency as individual, familial, school, peer influence, and community and neighborhood.
Results of individual factor showed that hyperactivity or attention deficits in a child resulted in high propensity of juvenile behavior; sensation seeking as well as abuse of marijuana or other drugs also scored high as a contributory factor. Juvenile delinquency was also attributed to family-related issues such as parents’ attitudes in support of violence, parental criminality, family conflicts, poor child-parent communications, poor family management, and residential mobility. Low academic performance, problems at school (as reported by teachers), low commitment to schooling, and low educational aspirations were found to trigger delinquency in children. As relates to peers, the study established that having delinquent friends and gang membership caused young boys and girls to involve themselves in delinquent activities. Finally, community and neighborhood contributed to juvenile delinquency because of community disorganization, availability of drugs, and greater number of adults involved in criminal activities. These findings are consistent with earlier studies that attributed juvenile delinquency to a multiplicity of causes such as Sheehan (2010); Wilson (2000); Thornberry, Huizing, & Loeber (2004); Muhammad Ali (2008).
Conclusion
The number of boys and girls being presented before the police or the juvenile courts as a result of delinquent behavior has been noted to be mounting sharply in the past 5 years. What is more shocking, however, is the gravity of their offenses which include murder. The findings of this research which conclude that juvenile delinquency is as a result of interplay of multiple factors can significantly contribute to shaping the national efforts of dealing with increasing rates of the social problem in the United States. This research, however, recommends further research into the protective factors for limiting delinquent behavior in at-risk young people. Such a research could investigate how particular independent variables influence both violent and nonviolent delinquent activity, and interventions or effective coping strategies to avoid risks factors.
References:
Ali, M. (2008). Youth Crime: Causes and Remedies. Retrieved from: http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/17223/1/MPRA_paper_17223.pdf
Clarkson, K. (2013). Juvenile Delinquency in America. Munich: GRIN Verlag.
Friesen, K. B. (2010). Designing and Conducting Your First Interview Project. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. (2000). Predictors of Youth Violence. Retrieved from: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/179065.pdf
Sheehan, H. (2010). The “Broken Home” or Broken Society: A Sociological Study of Family Structure and Juvenile Delinquency. Retrieved from: http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1012&context=socssp
Shoemaker, D. J., & Wolfe, T. W. (2005). Juvenile justice: A reference handbook. Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO.
Thornberry, P. T., Huizinga, D., & Loeber, R. (2004).The Causes and Correlates Studies: Findings and Policy Implications. Retrieved from: https://www.ncjrs.gov/html/ojjdp/203555/jj2.html
