JUVENILE DELINQUENCY

“ the state recognize the vital role of the youth in nation – building and shall promote and protect their
physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well – being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism
and nationalism, and encourage their involvement in public and civic affair (art. II, Section 13, Phil.
Constitution)”
- The 1987 Phil. Constitutional commission put an intense care and value to the hopes of our
fatherland commanding the state to shield the interest of young men and not to consent them in
becoming a menace of the society.

WHAT IS JUVENILE DELINQUENCY?

- Refers to criminal acts performed by juveniles.
- It is also commonly defined as an act committed by a minor that violates the penal code of the
government with authority over the area in which the act occurred. Aside from committing crimes
done by adults, juveniles are also arrested for truancy by incurring more than twenty days of
absences from class, with no valid reason, and not necessary consecutive; curfew violations, and
loitering and other acts of vandalism, as well as for being runaways. We refer to these law
violation as, status offenses because they would not be defined as criminal if they are committed
by adults. Meaning, status offenses can only be charge to minors.
- Refers to an anti – social act or behavior which deviates from the normal pattern of rules and
regulations, customs and culture which society does not accept and which there justifies some
kind of punishment or corrective measures.
Legal Definition: the act, the norm violation behavior that legally classified as juvenile delinquency.
Societal Response definition: this approach concentrate more on the audience, the member of the
social group or the society that reacts to the actor in the act finally determines whether or not
delinquency has actually been committed if the offender is a true juvenile delinquent.
In General: juvenile delinquency is legally defined as any act which if committed by an adult would
be a crime.

JUVENILE
- Refers to a person of tender year
- A minor, a youth or those who are not emancipated by law
- Those who are below the age of majority.
- Refers to a person’s below 18 years of age or those but are unable to fully take care of themselves
from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation or discrimination because of physical or mental
disability or conditions.
WHO IS A DELINQUENT?
- A juvenile delinquent is one who repeatedly commits crime; however these juvenile delinquents
could most likely have mental disorders/behavioral issues such as schizophrenia, post traumatic
stress disorder or bipolar disorder.
- It is also whose behavior has brough a minor or child in repeated conflict with the law.
WHAT IS A DEVIANT BEHAVIOR?
- Refers to a behavior that does not conform to norms.
- These are behaviors that in some ways do not meet the expectations of a group of a society as a
whole.
Some consideration on understanding what is deviant behavior
 In terms of Time – the meaning of deviance changes through the years.
 In terms of Place or Geography – it varies according to geographic area.
Juvenile Delinquency as a MALE PHENOMENON
- Youth crime is disproportionately committed by young men.
- The ideas of masculinity may make young men more likely to offend, being tough, aggressive,
daring and competitive may be a way of young men expressing their masculinity
- Biological and psychological factors, the way young men are treated by their parents may make
them more susceptible to offending.
- Acc. To the study led by Florida State University criminologist Kevin M. Beaver, adolescent
males who possess a certain type of variation in a specific gene are more likely to flock to
delinquent peers.
RISK FACTORS
1. INDIVIDUAL RISK FACTORS
- Individual psychological or behavioral risk factors that may make offending more likely include
intelligence, impulsiveness, or the inability to delay gratification, aggression, empathy and
restlessness.
- Children with low intelligence are likely to od worse in school. This may
2. FAMILY ENVIRONMENT

Family Factor: Its influence in offending a child includes the following

a. the level of parental supervision
b. parental conflict or separation
c. parental abuse or neglect
d. the way parents discipline a child
e. criminal parents or siblings and
the quality of the relationship