Juvenile Delinquency related to drugs and alcohol Essay Example for Free

Juvenile Delinquency related to drugs and alcoholic drink EssayTo tackle this topical issue, it is fairly relevant to first of all define some line terminology employed in contextual jargon as regards the question at hand. At the fore, a teen crumb be said to be a c rightfulness of such age as may be stipulated by a particular state, usually below the age of sixteen (16) or seventeen (17) years, who may be in the frame of mind to willfully conceive turn smell whilst perpetrating a plague, be it in the form of a robbery, murder or assorted other criminal acts. Along the same line, juvenile crime denotes several offences committed by the said minors (less than 18 years), infamously referred to as juvenile guilt, and may include acts which would be considered crimes if committed by adults, and misbehavior like noncompliance to p arnts and authorities or even instances of truancy. As may be warranted by prevailing circumstance, such new-fangled offenders may be put to tri al as all full-blown adults or simply in a capacity as juveniles, as influenced by a variety of factors, inclusive of the severity of the crime in question. For the more weighty crimes, the juvenile offender may be tried in either a juvenile or adult court, then afterwards incarcerated among the adults or juveniles, as the presiding judge may deem fit. More serious criminal offences may even spell out prison sentences for the minor (Stafford, 1991).However, the root causes of juvenile delinquency remain a baffling mystery, as clear-cut reasons are tho to be outlined for the same. However, it is clear that the major causes of delinquency are the use of alcohol and abuse of drugs and substances. virtually theorists pen a myriad of intervention mechanisms to aid in arresting this point before it grows into macrocosm the downfall of youths the world over. In this reaction paper, I endeavor to handle each of these issues, one at a time (Shaw, 1942).).Drug trafficking has become th e major source of vehemence in the country with have-to doe with gangs engaging in extreme violence that sometimes leads to fatality. Drug abusers sometimes results to crime in secern to acquire money to satisfy their addictions since drugs are expensive. Furthermore, drugs alienate one from reality and leads to aggressive behavior which results to violence or misdemeanor. A lot of attention has been effrontery in this area and extensive findings exist. However, it is clear that at that place is room for more to be done since this existing literature has not resulted to a dramatic change magnitude from behavior that is considered wrong in troupe. Furthermore, there seems to be little or inadequate research on the effect of to younger siblings if their older counterparts are abusers of alcohol and drugs (Kuntsche et al, 2009).Causal RelationshipsDiverse theories have been put forwards as relates to the chief reasons why there is the on garnish of juvenile tendencies in the fi rst place, and why this in conclusion metamorphosiss into wrong-doing in the long run. Among those advanced include schools of thought which are copy around historical and modern day scenarios. These theoretical traditions range from deliberations onTheories Early theories these peg the juvenile tendencies to the forces of nature, for example, spiritual worlds and even demons. Key aspects in this arena include deliberations on naturalism (the science relating human being affairs and eventual behavior to interactions with the forces of nature) and spiritualism, whereby deviance and criminal tendencies can be pegged to influences of nature, and the perpetrators hostile connection with supernatural powers that be. In this theory, offenses were considered to be against nature itself The Classical theory, which goes on to rationalize personal choice, brings to direction the issue of humanitarianism. Theorists here are of the stance that proven perpetrators ought to be held person ally accountable for their delinquent acts, and that penalty was best administered accordingly. This was based on the premises that humans are by nature reasonably rational, criminality being morally wrong and outlawed in society, and as well as that the civil society would play its power of disciplining wrong-doers as a form of deterrent mechanism, with such punishment being proportionate to the crime at hand (Loeber, 1989). Biological theories, which detail the physiological developmental traits of juveniles, in relation to their physical development, mental (under) development, or even hereditary characteristics, and their eventual impact on human behavior. It holds that some people are naturally-inclined toward being aberrant, and that it is woven-into their genes, with little or no chance of altering this state of being. The point of note here is that delinquency and its roots are traced to a persons physical/ physiological predisposition, as opposed chiefly to the questio n of free will.Chief among these are theories relations with hereditary issues (heredity), evolution of man and his characteristics (atavism), as wellhead as, The development of certain bodily traits that are common amongst people already oriented toward behaving in a particular fashion (somatotyping), to name but a few. Psychological theories these touch on psychopathic personalities, correlativity between dysfunctional and/ or troubled childhoods and the prevalence of the juvenile mannerisms in individuals. These also ascribe deviant behavior to ones surrounding environment, as may be influenced by chemical interplay in the brain, or an assorted number of reasons. Here, it is necessary to point out that delinquents may not have a sense of right or wrong as they go about their deviant actions, and that not solitary(prenominal) cant they control themselves, but also, their personalities border being christened abnormal, and the root of such can be re-traced back to their age a s little children. These include Psychopathology, which relates ones privation of a viable conscience to deviant mannerisms and also, the dys-functioning of given personalities, conditioning, which details the response to stimulating factors prevalent in the environment, and Psychoanalysis, dealing with incomplete development of ones personality. Sociological theories serve to link deviance to societal interactions and also the already existing caste structures, not to mention the inherent disparities in existence between the take of achieving goals and objectives and actually being in a position to go about the same. These include Differential tie beam theory, which deals with ways in which we as humans have the tendency of picking up all manner of behavior from those around us. It further posits that delinquency is an acquired behavior that is adopted from lifestyles of varying criminals. The Structural/ Social ecology theory, as pertains to structural conditions in a given a rea that may play a arctic role in shaping the mental framework of individuals inhabiting that area. These include overcrowding, unemployment, poor housing, poverty, sub-standard sanitation, and last but not least, illegitimate births. Strain and anomie theory anomie details the aspect of lack of norms in society, curiously in instances where there may be experienced some upheavals like wars and the like. When this materializes, the traditional customs and regulations are no longer abided by. Conversely, Strain refers to a situation whereby there already exists a standard set of acceptable goals and means of achieving the same. The inherent problem however, is that not all members of society have the necessary resources to go about meeting this end, thus, a scenario of need is created with some members literally straining to make ends meet, as it were. Thus, lack of opportunity and inequality can be zoned off as the major bones of contention here. lively theory has a lot to do w ith forces of subjugation in society, and also the capitalistic nature of incisive individuals. Societal inequities play a major role in molding the character and adaptive mind-state of given persons, more so in the earlier years right after one begins the journey to reveal him/ herself. This is further broken down into Radical criminology this has the general proposition that since the wealth and power in society have been inequitably distributed, then, those less economically empowered will ultimately seek out pick modes, mostly of criminal nature, so as to achieve whatever it is they are in (dire) need of. This situation is set to persist until control mechanisms are put in place by society to hold in that all and sundry are catered for as pertains to the same. Conflict theory the main assumption is that societal conflicts and tensions are part and parcel of society in general. There thus arises a distinctive classification of peoples, pitting the haves against the have-not s, with the latter being tagged in a relatively negative light. The theory posits that there subsequently arises the need for specialized institutions that can be employed to maintain a certain degree of law and order in society. Thus, in a nutshell, this theory serves to deliberate the economic tensions created, focus being place on the political and economic systems in existence.