COUNSELLING DELINQUENTS

INTRODUCTION

Delinquency is a symptom of emotional immaturity leading to socially

unacceptable or reprehensible behavior of the youth. Delinquency is one of the most
common problems reported among the post- puberty or early adolescent children. One
of the common symptoms of delinquency is truancy. Delinquents commit petty
offences like thieving, shoplifting, and so on. Most delinquents are emotionally
immature and their behavior is compensatory reaction. Sometimes it becomes an act
of gangsterism. The emotional upheaval and brittleness resulting from rapid physical
growth and accelerated endocrinal functioning result in extra energy seeking
expression in suitable outlets. There is also a greater need for recognition. Horror,
crime and other movies as well as story books provide the adolescent with a
convenient form for day- dreaming and self- identification. Most adolescents limit
themselves to day- dreams. But a few also resort to socially unacceptable means of
expressing their energies to seek recognition. They fail to adapt and adjust to social
norms. Counseling of such people is not easy.

Different approaches have been used to define and explain the term „Juvenile
Delinquency‟, like the legal approach, the social work approach, the psychological
approach, and the sociological approach. The social work approach is informal and
therapeutic. The psychological approach is analytical. These two approaches are
primarily concerned with the welfare of the individual delinquent and attribute only
secondary importance to the security of the social group in which he committed his
delinquency.

COUNSELING JUVENILE DELINQUENTS

A juvenile delinquent is a juvenile who has been found guilty of a delinquent

act. Concept and causes of juvenile delinquency may be new, but the problem of
children is historically as old as children themselves. Every society has treated its
children in accordance with its religious, social and political beliefs.
Several rapid socioeconomic changes, such as the breakdown of foundation, rise of
industrialization, colonization, migration and urbanization, have influenced societies‟
attitude to children. These attitudes had also been shaped by catastrophic events such
as epidemic, wars, depression, and breakdown of the family system.

The term “juvenile delinquency” has been differently interpreted but,

generally speaking, it refers to a large variety of behavior of children and adolescents
which the society does not approve and for which some kind of admonishment,
punishment, or preventive and corrective measures are justified in public interest. The
word “juvenile” has been derived from Latin term juvenis, meaning young. The term
delinquency has also been derived from the terms do (away from) and liquere (to
leave). The Latin initiative “delinquere” translates as “emit” in its original, earliest
sense. It was apparently used in times to refer to the failure of an individual to
perform a task or duty. The term “delinquent” describes a person guilty of an offence
against the customs. The concept of delinquency has been viewed differently by
various authors.

According to Tappan, there are two kinds of delinquency:

A) The adjudicated delinquents who have been processed through the courts
B) “In- official delinquents” who are handled officially by the police, courts and
other agencies.

THEORIES OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY

Psychologists, psychiatrists, sociologists, lawyers, and philosophers have

propounded various theories to understand the deviant behavior of juveniles.
Exploration of the causes of juvenile delinquency is the major objective of these
persons and their major aim is to develop a body of generalizations, which amount to
juvenile delinquency. Most explanations, however, recognize that delinquency and
crime cannot be explained in terms of one single causal factor. Generally speaking,
three major approaches to juvenile delinquency have been identified:
 1. Biological
2. Psychological
3. Sociological

Biogenic view stress faulty bidosy to be the reason for juvenile misconduct.
The psychologist takes a more individualistic, specific view of human behavior
and personal internal factors that contribute to criminality. The sociologists take a
more general view, looking at the external environment in which the individual
lives. The sociologist is concerned with the distribution of crime within the
environment and the factors in the system that affects the crime rates.

CHARACTERISTICS

A number of studies have been conducted on juvenile delinquency between 1947

and 1999. On the basis of these studies and on the basis of data compiled by National
Crime Records Bureau, 1998, following characteristics of juvenile delinquency in
India may be given:

1. The delinquency rates are many times higher for boys than girls, that is, girls
commit fewer delinquencies than boys.
2. The delinquency rates tend to be highest during early adolescence (12- 16yrs
age group).
3. Juvenile delinquency is more an urban than a rural phenomenon.
4. Children living with parents and guardians are found to be more involved in
the juvenile crimes.
5. Low education background is the prime attribute of delinquency.
6. Poor economic background is another important characteristic of juvenile
delinquency in India.
7. Nine out of 10 juvenile delinquents are first- offenders and only one- tenth are
recidivists or past- offenders.
8. Not many delinquencies are committed in groups.
9. Though some delinquencies are committed in groups yet the number of
juvenile gangs having support of organized adult criminals is not large in our
country.
TYPES OF JUVENILE DELINQUENCY

Delinquency exhibits a variety of styles of conduct or forms of behavior. Each of

the patterns has its own social context, the causes that are alleged to bring it about,
and the forms of prevention or treatment most often suggested as appropriate for the
pattern in question. Howard Becker has referred to four types of delinquencies:

a) Individual delinquency: This refers to delinquency in which only one

individual is involved in committing a delinquent act and its cause is located
within the individual delinquent.
b) Group supported delinquency: in this type, delinquencies are committed in
companionship with others and the cause is located not in the personality of
the individual or in the delinquent‟s family but in the culture of the
individual‟s home and neighborhood.
c) Organized delinquency: this type refers to delinquencies that are committed by
formally organized groups.
d) Situational delinquency: the assumption is that delinquency is not deeply
rooted, and motives for delinquency and means for controlling it are often
relatively simple.

CLASSIFICATION OF JUVENILE DELINQUENTS

Juvenile delinquents have been classified by different scholars on different

bases. Psychologists have classified juvenile delinquents on basis of their
individual traits or the psychological dynamics of their personality into four
groups:

1. Mental defective
2. Psychotic
3. Neurotic
4. Situational
FACTORS IN JUVENILE DELINQUENCY

Researchers generally agree that a number of factors play an important part in a

youngster‟s delinquencies. We may divide these factors into two groups:

1) Individual factors
2) Situational factors

Individual factors include personality traits like submissiveness, defiance, hostility,

impulsiveness, feeling of insecurity, fear, lack of self- control, emotional conflict, etc.,

While, the situational factors may be subdivided into five groups: family,
companions, school environment, movies and work environment.

STEPS FOR HELPING

 Juvenile delinquents need parents who are loving, yet hold them responsible
for their actions.
 Look closely for signs of substance abuse.
 Consider the family
 Work closely with the school. Teachers and school counselors may have a
good idea about the child‟s attitude, social group, and behavior problems.
 Get the parents to be cooperative and not offer excuses.
 If the child has been charged as a juvenile delinquent, help the parents hire an
attorney to represent child in court.
 The counselor can liaise with police, probation officers, or juvenile officers
who are involved in the child‟s case.
 Listen to the child. Pay attention to what he or she says and how he or she
acts.
 Parents need to express their love for the child in words and action.
 The parents can be counseled to think about all of their options. May be their
child would make some changes if he or she had stricter rules.
METHODS OF TREATING DELINQUENTS

Many approaches and methods can be used in treating a delinquent. Some

important methods are:

(1) Psychotherapy

(2) Reality therapy

(3) Behavior therapy

(4) Activity therapy

(5) Milieu therapy

Punishment is not as a treatment method, because it is no longer viewed as a viable

technique of treatment.

The two basic approaches in dealing with youngsters are the individual and
group methods of treatment. It is generally the individual method which is used by
psychologists, psychiatrists, sociologists and social workers, though psychologists
sometimes do use group method as well.

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy treats emotional and personality problems by psychological

means, that is, by changing the attitudes and feelings about significant persons in the
client‟s past. When the early relationship of a youngster with his parents was not
satisfactory, his emotional development was often retarded, with the result that he was
often impulsive in his attempt to satisfy his infantile urges, not satisfied with the
normal manner within his family. Satisfying these urges and impulses can take the
form of anti-social behavior. Through psychotherapy, the delinquent is allowed by the
therapist to operate in an atmosphere of love and acceptance where the person does
not have to fear severe rejection or physical punishment.
Reality therapy

Is based on the view that people, unable to fulfil their basic needs, act in an
irresponsible manner. The object of the reality therapy is to help the delinquent person
act in a responsible manner, that is, refrain from antisocial activity. For example, if a
boy does not attend school classes owing to the harshness of the teacher, he is made to
understand that the teacher is not harsh but is interested in helping him shape his
career. This therapy can be given by any one, because it does not emphasize nebulous
psychiatric terms, extensive testing, or time consuming case conferences.

Behavior therapy

Modified the Learned behavior of the delinquent through the development of

new learning processes. Behavior can be changed through positive or negative
reinforcements, that is, rewards or punishments. Negative or unpleasant
reinforcements will reduce/ eliminate negative behavior, while positive or pleasant
reinforcements, will maintain/ increase positive behavior. This requires determining
each individual‟s reinforcers that is, those aspects which the individual will strive to
achieve to gain personal satisfaction.

Activity therapy

Many children do not have the verbal ability to communicate effectively in a

conventional individual or group situation. In activity therapy method, a group of six
to eight children are gathered/ invited to meet at a specific time/ place to engage in
play or some artistic endeavor. The atmosphere is permissive and the youngsters can
use their time as they wish. Thus, a moderately neurotic child finds great release in a
permissive environment where he can express his hostility and aggression in creative
work, play, or mischief. Because his behavior does not call for retaliation, punishment
or disapproval, pent-up emotions find appropriate discharge,

Milieu or environment therapy

Attempts to produce an environment that will facilitate meaningful change and

satisfactory adjustments. This is used for persons whose deviant behavior is a reaction
to unfavorable life conditions.
 Besides using the above methods, three more methods are also used in the
treatment of juvenile delinquents. These are: (1) social case-work that is, assisting the
maladjusted youngster in coping with his problems. The case worker prepares the
case history of the client to explore his background, environment and relationship
with his family, friends, school-fellows, etc. and evaluate his personal strengths and
weakness so that a treatment plan can be devised and carried out. (2) Individual
counselling, that is re-educating a delinquent to enable him to understand his
immediate situation and solve his problem. (3) Vocational counselling, that is,
increasing the delinquent‟s knowledge of his career choices, job specifications and
qualifications and training needed for successful employment

PREVENTIVE PROGRAMMES

Juvenile delinquency being mainly an urban phenomenon, both private and

public agencies have to be involved in delinquency prevention.

Three approaches to delinquency prevention are

(1) Organizing activities that contribute to contribute to healthy personality

development and adjustment of children,

(2) Controlling environment of children contributing to delinquency, and

(3) Organizing specific preventive services for children.

The first approach links delinquency prevention to (*) general improvements

in the institutional structure of the society, ex: family, school, etc., (*) helping the
poverty- stricken families in getting cheap rations and clothes, etc. , (*) providing job
opportunities to children in institutions,( * )providing recreational facilities in
neighborhoods, (* )improving marital relations through family counseling services
and family social work. The preventive programmes have been classified as pure
prevention or primary prevention, and rehabilitative prevention or secondary
prevention.
Peter Lejins (1967) has classified the prevention programmes as:

1) punitive prevention

2) corrective prevention, and

3) mechanical prevention.

The first is the threat of punishment based on the idea that punishment will
forestall criminal acts; and second refers to an attempt to eliminate potential causes
before the criminal behavior actually takes place; and third emphasizes placing
obstacle in the way of the potential criminal so that he will find it difficult to commit
an offence.

Tips and warnings

 Do not excuse your childs criminal actions. This is a serious problem and
needs to be treated as such.
 Understand that one possible result from court intervention is that your child
can be removed from your home and placed in foster care or a juvenile
facility. Obtain legal assistance to protect your family.

REFERENCES

Ahuja, R. (2000). criminology. New Delhi: Rawat publications.

Rao, S. (1991). Counselling and Guidance. New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill Education
Private Limited.