Youth and Juvenile Delinquency

The number of minors committing crimes in states that have declared by law that a minor lacks responsibility and thus may not be sentenced as an adult keeps on escalating every day. The issue has become a severe predicament worldwide and its intensity depends mostly on the social, economic and cultural conditions in each country concerned. Many causes are associated with juvenile delinquency, major ones being poor educational background, inadequate family security or bonds, poverty and destitution, substance abuse and cultural factors.

Juvenile delinquents comprises mostly of youth, with youth making the high numbers of arrests than the population we consider as children in this context. Statistics show that a large percentage of the youth that age out of juvenile justice systems tend to end up homeless because they are unprepared to live independently, they have limited education and have no social support. A lot can be done and different approaches to prevent violence and crime can be taken up to reduce juvenile delinquency cases. Instead of relying solely on the criminal justice system, emphasis should rather be put on combating poverty and instilling a sense of belonging to young people.

Relevant stakeholders have come together to address this issue. Governments and Youth Organizations are providing education on the issue. Attempts to reduce the free time gap and unguided activities that youth are involved in are being made by providing extracurricular activities that are educational and beneficiary to the youth.