Topic: Is crime among teenagers on the increase?

Discuss this issue and

provide some reasons and solutions.

Youth crime has escalated to unprecedented levels within the last decade and
it has become a pivotal issue in our society. The reasons behind this
contentious problem are multiple and differ from country to country and from
individual to individual. This essay will discuss some of the main causes of
crime among teenagers and suggest possible solutions.

One of the main reasons for the increasing level of crime may be related to
the economic circumstances such as unemployment. As a consequence,
teens find alternative ways of gaining money by committing different types of
crimes such as theft, burglary, robbery and so on. A good example of that is
Saudi Arabia which has one of the highest unemployment rate among youths
in the world, which led to skyrocketing crime rate in that area.

Furthermore, another reason may be the lack of nuclear family, with more
single parents and double income families. As a result, children spend more
time on their own and may fall into bad company. For instance, the gangs in
the USA are common and many adolescents succumb to peer pressure and
start committing crimes, namely drunk-driving, drug use or joyriding. On the
other hand, others argue that crime among teenagers is largely due to the
media’s glorification of crime, by promoting movies, like Terminator which
portrays criminal acts in a positive manner.

It is rather complicated to provide solutions to this issue, because of its

complexity and variability. Youth crime can be reduced by providing
adolescents with a hobby like football, music, photography or athletics.
Moreover, providing a strong role model for them to emulate and keep them
away from bad habits, could be another possible solution. Last, but not least,
government should take responsibility for the future of teenagers and invest
more in youth centres, education and job opportunities.

In conclusion, this complex issue has a variety of underlying causes, which

are dependant on the socio-economic status and personal lifestyle. However,
the crime rate can be significantly reduced by implementing a series of
measures such as the aforementioned youth centres, positive role models
and better job opportunities.