Children and youth crime is a growing concern in the world today. There are many young offenders who and this calls for the need to balance justice models and welfare. There is a lack of sufficient workforce on the area of justice especially on growing delinquency area. Most high-income countries have made interventions to deal with juvenile delinquency through the introduction of children and adolescence forensic psychiatry. There is need to come with better responses to reduce children and youth crime in the world. The paper will feature an analysis of juvenile delinquency and justice in the whole world.

Juvenile delinquency is a term used to refer to a child who has committed a crime. The definition varies depending on specific local jurisdiction due to lack of generally agreed meaning of the word. ‘A juvenile’ is a person who is legally able to commit a crime being of a minimum description of age. The age of criminal responsibility varies from six to eighteen with most countries settling at eighteen years. In other cases, people above the age of eighteen may be handled as a juvenile since the United Nations defines a youth with a period of fifteen to twenty-four years. Clear definition of a child and a youth varies from one country to the other.

In recent years the issue of criminality and mental health has been given much attention with more emphasis being on the antisocial behavior of the adolescent. The problem of crime among youths have provoked attention from the government agent and the media all over the world. There is calls for improved rehabilitation mechanisms and supporting juvenile offenders while some advocates for more punitive approaches on the same. There are studies to determine the needs of the children that come into conflict with the law. Studies show significant overlap between biomedical research, social and criminology as to the understanding of delinquency behavior. Studies show that juvenile offenders suffer remarkably from mental disorders and elevated prevalence. The challenge and issue can only get to be understood by meeting the needs of young people.

A delinquent is a child who has committed a crime. The behavior may vary depending on local jurisdiction and may change from time to time. Among the behavior considered delinquent are theft, interpersonal violence, consumption of alcohol, and sexual behavior among others. The response may be as a result of historical, traditional beliefs and cultural factors. There arises a lack of clarity in the jurisdiction in which a young offender may be processed through a welfare system rather than in a youth justice system. Countries with a high minimum age of criminal responsibility may not be able to punish young people for behaviors that are mostly prosecuted.

There are some principles of juvenile justice, and the first principle is the welfare versus justice model. Three factors drive the sentencing of a criminal. The first one is retribution or punishment, rehabilitation, and deterrence. In the case of juvenile delinquency, the principle of restoration receives much attention. The special consideration for children is different from that of other people, and this is common in many countries. For example in Roman Law doli incapax is a principle which protects the interest of children by arguing that children lack the capacity and understanding that may make them guilty.

Each country has special treatment for children who gets caught in conflict with the law, and the punishment varies from one state to the other. Some states put more emphasis on diagnosis, treatment and the needs of the children while others emphasize discipline, procedural accountability, and formalities. An excellent example of a country with a robust welfare process in Belgium due to the high minimum age set by the judiciary. France, on the other hand, put a welfare reputation by putting education and rehabilitation center as a center of youth justice. USA and UK gets regarded as having a low age of criminal responsibility. Under the welfare and justice model, a child may be deprived of liberty through detention under official authorities. The arrest may take place in a private or public location in which the juvenile is not supposed to leave. Examples of such sites include juvenile prisons, police stations, adult prisons, detention centers, locked specialized schools, boot camps, secured youth hostels, military camps, military prisons, rehabilitation establishments, and immigration detention centers among others.

UN campaigns for the development of a specialized system in dealing in conflict with the law. The first children court in the USA was set in 1930’s, and the country was praised for serving the interests of the children. In 1960 concerns on the protection of the minors arose. The subsequent establishment of children courts proceeded due to the rehabilitation of young people. Between 1980 and 1990s statistics showed a peak in juvenile cases and the public and political opinion was the use of a more punitive direction in solving juvenile cases. The peak made jurisdiction to have more legal reforms and also increased the punishment given to children. The age of criminal responsibility was also reduced. Reports show that 19 juvenile offenders faced tried in the USA from 1990 to 2005. The statistics only represent a small number of children who suffered a birth penalty, and this practice was highly criticized by international bodies.

One of the major causes of criminal acts among children is the emergence of criminal acts among youths. The groups are formed based on ethnic groups and geographical location. Youth gangs arise as a result of globalization, economic migration, peer pressure, lack of extended family gatherings and less supervision of children, especially by their parents. Most members of youth gangs have mental health problems. The mental disorders by most of the members include antisocial personality, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and anxiety disorders. Gang membership also increases suicidal rates among the youths.

Research shows that social, individual and community conditions influence the behavior of any person. Delinquency behavior gets developed through the interplay of environmental and genetic factors which may come from the time the children grows. Although genetic factors are the significant factors contributing to juvenile behavior, it is worth to note that they need to intertwine with the environmental factors. Studies show that most adult criminals grew up in delinquent behavior, but most young criminals change as they grow and age. There are some individual-level factors including substance use, age, gender, aggressiveness, and complications during pregnancy among others. Other key factors that influence juvenile behavior is individual capabilities, competencies, and characteristics. Social factors such as relationship among the peers and the child upbringing also affect the actions of young people. Family structure and family influence also play a crucial role in influencing the behavior of most children.

Preventing juvenile delinquency helps to improve the quality of life to the children and the youths, boosts the economy and also make communities better and safer. One way to prevent juvenile delinquency is by identifying the kids who are at high risk. One way to identify kids at high risk of the behavior is through considering the history of abuse. Children who faced physical and mental abuse at an early age may make people develop delinquency behavior. The other way is by looking at any inhibited or antisocial behavior. A child who rarely interact with other children or rarely want to be associated with his/her family then it should imply that the child may engage in juvenile delinquency behavior in the future. Children with hyperactivity behavior then they may develop the behavior. Kids living in high crime areas as well as in poverty are likely to create the practice compared to those from stable backgrounds. Another critical thing to consider is the friends that one relates with especially if they have been engaged in juvenile delinquency behavior.

With the knowledge of the possible risk factors then it would be easy to determine preventive mechanism. The first one would be to encourage children to talk to their parents. Children should also be invited to make shared activities among children and parents. In case a child is identified to have the behavior then one should look for a supportive family member to talk to the child. The final way would be to ensure that children join a mentoring program.

In conclusions, there is a need to have a collective responsibility to stop juvenile delinquency behavior. People should be encouraged to establish community activities for the children and also help children participate in school activities.

 
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