Ideas for Improving a Community’s Juvenile Delinquency Prevention Efforts
Today, juvenile delinquency is a persistent problem in society on a worldwide scale. Juvenile criminality is seen to be a result of neglect, a lack of supervision and direction, or just bad parenting (Park, 2019). In fact, being neglected by anybody or anything might cause a person to break the law and turn into a juvenile offender. Juvenile delinquency can be countered by communal actions, development of the specialized programs, and solid theoretical frameworks that explain this issue.
The Ohio Competitive RECLAIM Program and the Boys and Girls Club are two community-based initiatives to lower juvenile criminality. The RECLAIM program provides an alternative to incarceration. Since RECLAIM is local, it has a beneficial effect on juveniles and their families as families may be more completely involved in juvenile care. RECLAIM advocates for appropriate and equitable community and local alternatives to juvenile detention (Kennedy et al., 2020). This initiative is a financially supported alternative that encourages juvenile courts to acquire or construct community-based solutions to cater to the requirements of each young offender or kid in danger of offending.
Another initiative to reduce juvenile delinquency is the Boys and Girls Club, which works to help children develop to their full potential as good citizens. These organizations benefit young people in crucial spheres, including academic success, drug-free living, and moral integrity. Boys’ and Girls’ Club helps teenagers gain the skills they need to grow up to be responsible, dependable adults (Kennedy et al., 2020). They encounter obstacles and undertake tasks that enable them to go over them and learn new skills so they may confidently enter the workforce. Additionally, the organization offers a secure environment for learning and development with supportive adults, wholesome connections with inspiring individuals, and hope.
Three Theories That Explain Juvenile Delinquency
Strain theory, labeling theory, and social learning theory are three of the major sociological ideas that underlie crime prevention strategies. According to the strain theory, some types of stress make a person more likely to commit a crime (Park, 2019). Negative feelings like anger and frustration brought on by stress can drive people to engage in criminal activity to relieve their tension or to do violent acts like hitting someone to stop someone from being bullied (Kratcoski et al., 2019). The labeling theory demonstrates why some individuals or cultures view the activity as favorably aberrant while others view it adversely. This implies that those in positions of authority within a government or state are breaking the law when they label certain activities as improper. Psychological aspects and their links to juvenile delinquency can be researched by the social learning theory and attachment theory. According to attachment theory, childhood traumas like neglect or abuse can lead to mental health issues, including depression and anxiety (Kratcoski et al., 2019). Depending on the sort of emotion displayed and what the parent or caregiver has learned, this attachment can have a beneficial or negative impact on the kid.
How The Chosen Programs Will Help to Provide Solutions for the Problems That the Theories Identify
The involvement of adults in the lives of young people is both the primary issue and the key to preventing juvenile delinquency. These young people want direction and structure from a caring adult who can reassure them that they are not alone. Donations to programs or their local and international advertisement are two ways to achieve this. Furthermore, the programs mentioned above will aid in offering answers to issues that align with theories. They make an effort to foster a welcoming, label-free workplace and lessen stress. This incorporates multilevel collaboration and methodical learning.
The key to tackling the issue is therefore crime reduction programs, their policies, and theories that may explain the underlying issues or what leads a young person to become a delinquent. A structural component of fighting adolescent delinquency might also include strengthening community efforts to prevent it, as well as theoretical framework development. Overall, enhancing current frameworks can be the key to success and ending juvenile delinquency.
References
Kennedy, T. D., Detullio, D., & Millen, D. H. (2020). Juvenile delinquency​. Springer.
Kratcoski, P. C., Kratcoski, L. D., & Kratcoski, P. C. (2019). Juvenile delinquency: Theory, research, and the juvenile justice process. Springer Nature.
Park, R. E. (2019). Community organization and juvenile delinquency. University of Chicago Press.