What is juvenile delinquency? It can be defined as all acts that violate rules in society that are done by adolescents, for example, fighting, playing truant, brawl and drug abuse. Juvenile delinquency is often done by students.
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Parents need to pay attention to this issue. Therefore, they have to understand the cause, the examples, and also how to overcome it.
Why Do Adolescents Commit Juvenile Delinquency?
You may wonder why adolescents can commit juvenile delinquency. Let’s see the definition of juvenile delinquency first. Juvenile delinquency is deviant acts or acts that cannot be accepted by society. So, why do adolescents do this? There are three important roles that can cause juvenile delinquency, namely family, society and adolescents.
1. Family
Let’s say that as parents you are authoritative. Then, juvenile delinquency can be done for rebelling. If you are permissive, your children will find attention by doing anything that possibly leads to juvenile delinquency. It may also happen even if parents are democratic.
2. Society
When adolescents have pressure from their friends such as solidarity, wanting to be accepted, and as an escape, they can do the juvenile delinquency. In the family factor, adolescents rebel to look for attention that leads to juvenile delinquency because of parents.
3. Adolescent Itself
When adolescents try to attract their parents or friends’ attention, the aim is to satisfy themselves. If they realize that they cannot get the attention by doing that, they will not do the juvenile delinquency.
Some Examples of Juvenile Delinquency
Here are some examples of juvenile delinquency.
- Playing truant
- Fighting
- Watching Porn Videos
- Getting drunk
- Brawl
- Wild race
- Driving without having a driving license
- Drugs abuse
- Theft
- Taking parents’ stuff or others’ stuff without permission
The Causes of Juvenile Delinquency
There are several causes why adolescents do juvenile delinquency. The causes can be internal factors and external factors as you are able to read below.
1. Internal Factors
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Identity Crisis
Adolescents experience biological and sociological changes and it can create two integrations. The first one is the formation of a feeling of consistency in their life. The second one is achieving the role identity. Juvenile delinquency can be done by teenagers because the trigger is an identity crisis. They ask and look for their identity, but they fail and as a result they commit a juvenile delinquency.
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Weak Self-Control
If adolescents cannot learn and differentiate between accepted behaviour and unaccepted behaviour, they will commit a juvenile delinquency. However, if they have known it and they cannot control themselves not to do the unacceptable things, juvenile delinquency can be done by them. When they have weak self-control, they will not be able to control themselves to not do unacceptable things even though they know that it is wrong.
2. External Factor
- Lack of Parental Attention and Affection
If adolescents lack the attention and affection from their parents, they will feel that they are unwanted. So, they will commit juvenile delinquency to seek their parent’s attention.
- Lack of Understanding of Religion
If adolescents have a good understanding about their religion, it can help them to control themselves from juvenile delinquency. So, if they lack understanding of their religion, it can motivate them to do things that violate the norms.
- Influence from the surrounding environment
Juvenile delinquency can also be encouraged by the environment. For example, if they live in an environment with drug abusers, they will also fall into it.
How to Overcome Juvenile Delinquency
Here are several things that we can do to overcome juvenile delinquency.
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1. Apply Rules and Consequences
To be able to overcome juvenile delinquency in this era, you are able to discuss with your children about the rules that you apply and also the consequences. You can give them an understanding that the rules can protect them from acts that can be self-defeating.
2. Ask What Happened to Them
Many parents judge their children when they know that their children commit juvenile delinquency. Instead of judging them, it is better for you to ask them first about the things that happened. By doing it, you will understand and they will feel that they get attention from their parents.
3. Spend Your Time with Them
Some parents do not have time for their children. It is important for you to note that your children need your time. They need your attention and also your affection. So, it is important for you to spend your time with your children to listen to them and to give solutions for the problems that they have.
4. Avoid Being Rude and Reproach
If you are rude and like to reproach your children, it will make them avoid you. And it is important for you to know that when they are in adolescence, they will have more offended feelings. So, starting from now, avoid being rude and talk to them nicely anytime they commit juvenile delinquency.
5. Consult a Psychologist
If you think that the juvenile delinquency done by your child is because of psychological issues, you are able to consult a psychologist. So, you will also understand what happens with your child. Not only parents, teachers and society also need to be sensitive to this issue. Advise the adolescents to avoid the acts that violate the norms in society.
