1
Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency
xxxxx
Criminal Justice, Liberty University
CJUS310: Juvenile Justice (D01)
xxxxxxx
July 25, 2022
2
Introduction
The importance of young people in society calls for strict measures to be taken to help
educate responsible and competent individuals to ensure its stability and make it better. The
criminal justice system and other stakeholders in the community are assigned the responsibility
of providing effective recommendations to help young individuals avoid delinquent behaviors
that can lead to incarceration and destroy the outcome of a balanced future. Many resources,
time, and strategies have been utilized to help prevent juvenile delinquencies in society, but the
rates are still high (Siegel, 2021). However, many factors have prevented the proposed strategies
from effectively reducing deliquescent behaviors in society. It is critical to examine the gaps that
exist preventing strategies of reducing juvenile delinquent behaviors effectively and determine
the most effective recommendations that can be applied to make future solutions more effective.
Problem Description
Regardless of a significant focus on helping prevent and minimize juvenile delinquency
behaviors, the records of juvenile arrests remain high. According to the Office of Juvenile Justice
and Delinquency Prevention (2019) report, the number of people under 18 years arrested
dropped by 58% between 2019 and 2010. However, the number of juveniles arrested remained
high despite the significant drop. In 2019, more than 650,000 individuals under the age of 18
years were arrested in the United States. The prevalent crimes committed by the juveniles were
simple assaults (126,130), burglary (20,700), vandalism (31,950), drug abuse violations (81,320),
liquor laws (26,650), larceny-theft (83,690), aggravated assault (27,070), and disorderly conduct
(53,990) (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2019).
The problem with the high rate of juvenile delinquency is the cost associated with it.
According to Sneed (2014), it costs a state an average of $400 to lock up a single juvenile
3
explaining why the average estimated amount that the states spend to deal with juvenile
delinquents is $21 billion annually. Apart from that, locking up juveniles significantly affect
their ability to have a stable life. Many juvenile systems do not have sufficient resources to
provide juveniles with the required training and skills to help them venture into different careers
when they return to society (Nisar et al., 2015). Most juveniles reported having more aggressive
behaviors when they get out of the juvenile system than when they were sent there. The
resources and programs designed to help juveniles integrate back into society are also
insufficient. It explains why the probability of a juvenile being arrested again as an adult is very
high (Nisar et al., 2015). There is always a big gap that a juvenile has compared to a youth that
does not go to the juvenile system. Therefore, there is a need to reduce the number of juvenile
delinquencies further.
Alternative Perspectives of the Problem
The significant reduction in juvenile arrests in the United States is due to changes in the
judicial system legislation on juveniles. Most of the reforms focused on juvenile delinquencies
prevention and rehabilitation programs. The first proposed solution was education for youths
(Omoniyi, 2011). According to the strategy, juveniles should be provided more insights into the
different types of crimes and their consequences. More insights about crimes and possible
implications have been linked to reduced crime among young adults. It helps improve their
decision-making process and oral perception of things in society. The other strategy that has
been utilized in developing a community program that helps provide social services needs to
young adults at risk of different crimes (Gill et al., 2014). Due to the sufficient knowledge about
juvenile delinquent behaviors, the current criminal justice system policymakers have insights
4
into the factors that are likely to increase the probability of a juvenile committing delinquency
behaviors and ways to prevent them. Therefore, communities develop programs in regions linked
with high juvenile delinquent behaviors to provide resources they lack, causing the increased risk
of performing the delinquent behaviors. For example, the biggest problem in low-income
societies causing juvenile delinquency is a lack of basic resources and role models. Therefore, a
developing a community program can help provide basic needs like education and housing for
the juveniles to prevent the risks of them engaging in delinquent behaviors as well as provide
more information about how to make a good decision in their life to help them become better
individuals that will help others found in the same situation as them (Siegel, 2021).
Another example of a prevention and rehabilitation program is the bullying prevention
program (Impact Law). The program aims to help young adults avoid aggressive behaviors and
learn to respect others. The reason is that one of the highest crimes young adults’ commits is due
to their irrational behaviors. Another program has been based on increasing parent-children
interaction and engagement (Impact Law). The reason is that various research found that the
main factors that make young adults commit crimes are because they lack appropriate support
and guidance from parents. The delinquent’s behaviors are mainly a sign of a call for help to the
parents as the child is missing important aspects like love, support, or attention. Therefore,
helping create a positive relationship between the child and the parent will significantly reduce
the probability of the young adult engaging in delinquent behaviors. Other programs that aim to
prevent juvenile delinquencies focus on parental and infant care and support (Impact Law). The
reason is that early childhood development is linked to many delinquency behaviors of young
adults. The way a person is provided support and care when they are young will significantly
affect their morale and ethical perception. For example, when children at a young age are
5
neglected and witness a lot of violence, they are likely to display a lot of delinquency behaviors.
Conclusion
Juvenile delinquency is a big problem with many adverse effects on different
collaborators despite the availability of many preventive and rehabilitative measures to manage
them. Even though juvenile arrests have significantly reduced over the years in United States, the
numbers remain significantly high. The high juvenile arrest rate still costs states billions of
dollars each year, and it is not effectively helping young adults rectify their actions and have a
chance to improve their lives as they grow up. Several strategies have helped reduce the rate of
juvenile arrests in United Sates over the years based on preventive and rehabilitative programs in
the community and the criminal justice system. Community educative and supportive programs
target young adults at risk of delinquency behaviors and offer resources, skills, and knowledge
they need to help show them why it is not appropriate to do different things that might result in
breaking the law. Developing more effective actions can help reduce the significance of the
problem in the future.
Recommendations
Scholars have found that multiple factors cause juvenile delinquency in contemporary
society. The problem is that multiple factors vary based on social demographical traits. Some
factors may be more prevalent among a specific group of people but are not the same for a
different group. It means that applying the same strategies to one geographical location or based
on a specific group of people may have different results because of the variation in the nature
and factors that cause juvenile delinquency in the two different groups of locations. It explains
6
why, even though multiple approaches can help prevent juvenile delinquency, the problem
remains. Due to this factor, using modern technology to understand the dynamics of juvenile
delinquency for better decision-making can act as an effective strategy to overcome the problem
(Brayne & Christin, 2021). For instance, the data record, retrieval, storage, and analysis software
can offer more specific trends and patterns that enhance informed decision-making in the
strategy utilized to prevent juvenile delinquency in a specific region.
Collaboration is another effective strategy that can further help prevent juvenile
delinquency (Becan et al., 2018). The multiple studies examining juvenile delinquency show that
it has an impact on almost all aspects of society. By this, it means that all the societal
collaborators like individuals, the local government, businesses, private entities, social service
institutes, juvenile delinquency correctional systems, and the educational system, among others.
Also, it shows that the lack of collaboration prevents the current prevention and rehabilitation
programs from effectively accomplishing their objective. The solutions developed are only based
on limited viewpoints of the field of study, while the problems and factors that cause juvenile
delinquencies are many and varying.
7
References
Becan, J. E., Bartkowski, J. P., Knight, D. K., Wiley, T. R., DiClemente, R., Ducharme, L., ... &
Aarons, G. A. (2018). A model for rigorously applying the Exploration, Preparation,
Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) framework in the design and measurement of a large-
scale collaborative multi-site study. Health & Justice, 6(1), 1-14.
Brayne, S., & Christin, A. (2021). Technologies of crime prediction: The reception of algorithms
in policing and criminal courts. Social Problems, 68(3), 608-624.
Gill, C., Weisburd, D., Telep, C. W., Vitter, Z., & Bennett, T. (2014). Community-oriented
policing to reduce crime, disorder, and fear and increase satisfaction and legitimacy among
citizens: A systematic review. Journal of experimental criminology, 10(4), 399-428.
Impact Law. "Juvenile Delinquency Prevention."
Lipsey, M. W., & Howell, J. C. (2012). A broader view of evidence-based programs reveals
more options for state juvenile justice systems. Criminology & Pub. Pol'y, 11, 515.
MacKenzie, D. L., & Farrington, D. P. (2015). Preventing future offending of delinquents and
offenders: what have we learned from experiments and meta-analyses?. Journal of
Experimental Criminology, 11(4), 565-595.
Mallett, C. A. (2018). Disproportionate minority contact in juvenile justice: Today's, and
yesterday, problems. Criminal justice studies, 31(3), 230-248.
8
Nisar, M., Ullah, S., Ali, M., & Alam, S. (2015). Juvenile delinquency: The Influence of family,
peer and economic factors on juvenile delinquents. Applied Science Reports, 9(1), 37-48.
Omoniyi, M. B. I. (2011). Juvenile Crimes and Its Counseling Implications. Journal of
Psychology, 2(1), 1-6.
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. (2019). "Statistical Briefing Book;
Juvenile Arrests". Retrieved from https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/crime/qa05101.asp
Siegel, L. J. (2021). Juvenile Delinquency: The Core, Sixth Edition. United States of America
Sneed, T. (2014, Dec). What Youth Incarceration Costs Taxpayers. U.S News.
1
Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency
Name
Criminal Justice, Liberty University
CJUS310: Juvenile Justice (D01)
Xxxxxxx
July 25, 2022
2
Abstract
The issue of juvenile delinquency is taken seriously in society because young people are future
leaders. However, despite significant measures taken to prevent juvenile deliquescent behaviors,
the problems continue to persist in society. The research paper examines the possible reasons
deliquescent behaviors are high in society despite the significant efforts to eliminate them. The
problem description shows the high rate of juveniles arrested and the cost it has to society to
show why it is a sector that should be taken seriously. After that, a description of alternative
actions and steps taken to prevent juvenile deliquescent behaviors like changes in the judicial
system and regulations are examined to determine their weaknesses and strengths. After that, it
becomes clear the possible ways criminal justice policymakers can take to better deal with the
problem. According to the research, the two most likely solutions to minimize juvenile
deliquescent behaviors are utilizing technology to analyze the multiple factors related to creating
juvenile deliquescent behaviors and provide information that helps make more informed
decisions on approaches to use to prevent juvenile deliquescent behaviors and collaboration
between different stakeholders in the society.
Keywords: Juvenile Delinquency, Alternative Actions, Technology, Collaboration.
3
Introduction
The importance of young people in society calls for strict measures to be taken to help
educate responsible and competent individuals to ensure its stability and make it better. The
criminal justice system and other stakeholders in the community are assigned the responsibility
of providing effective recommendations to help young individuals avoid delinquent behaviors
that can lead to incarceration and destroy the outcome of a balanced future. Many resources,
time, and strategies have been utilized to help prevent juvenile delinquencies in society, but the
rates are still high (Siegel, 2021). However, many factors have prevented the proposed strategies
from effectively reducing deliquescent behaviors in society. It is critical to examine the gaps that
exist in preventing strategies of reducing juvenile delinquent behaviors effectively and determine
the most effective recommendations that can be applied to make future solutions more effective.
Problem Description
Regardless of a significant focus on helping prevent and minimize juvenile delinquency
behaviors, the records of juvenile arrests remain high. According to the Office of Juvenile Justice
and Delinquency Prevention (2019) report, the number of people under 18 years arrested
dropped by 58% between 2019 and 2010. However, the number of juveniles arrested remained
high despite the significant drop. In 2019, more than 650,000 individuals under the age of 18
years were arrested in the United States. The prevalent crimes committed by the juveniles were
simple assaults (126,130), burglary (20,700), vandalism (31,950), drug abuse violations (81,320),
liquor laws (26,650), larceny-theft (83,690), aggravated assault (27,070), and disorderly conduct
(53,990) (Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2019).
4
The problem with the high rate of juvenile delinquency is the cost associated with it.
According to Sneed (2014), it costs a state an average of $400 to lock up a single juvenile
explaining why the average estimated amount that the states spend to deal with juvenile
delinquents is $21 billion annually. Apart from that, locking up juveniles significantly affect
their ability to have a stable life. Many juvenile systems do not have sufficient resources to
provide juveniles with the required training and skills to help them venture into different careers
when they return to society (Nisar et al., 2015). Most juveniles reported having more aggressive
behaviors when they got out of the juvenile system than when they were sent there. The
resources and programs designed to help juveniles integrate into society are also insufficient. It
explains why the probability of a juvenile being arrested again as an adult is very high (Nisar et
al., 2015). There is always a big gap that a juvenile has compared to a youth that does not go to
the juvenile system. Therefore, there is a need to reduce the number of juvenile delinquencies
further.
Alternative Perspectives of the Problem
The significant reduction in juvenile arrests in the United States is due to changes in the
judicial system legislation on juveniles. Most of the reforms focused on juvenile delinquencies
prevention and rehabilitation programs. The first proposed solution was an education for youths
(Omoniyi, 2011). According to the strategy, juveniles should be provided more insights into the
different types of crimes and their consequences. More insights about crimes and possible
implications have been linked to reduced crime among young adults. It helps improve their
decision-making process and oral perception of things in society. The other strategy that has
been utilized in developing a community program that helps provide social services needs to
5
young adults at risk of different crimes (Gill et al., 2014). Due to sufficient knowledge about
juvenile delinquent behaviors, the current criminal justice system policymakers have insights
into the factors that are likely to increase the probability of a juvenile committing delinquency
behaviors and ways to prevent them. Therefore, communities develop programs in regions linked
with high juvenile delinquent behaviors to provide resources they lack, causing the increased risk
of performing the delinquent behaviors. For example, the biggest problem in low-income
societies causing juvenile delinquency is a lack of basic resources and role models. Therefore,
developing a community program can help provide basic needs like education and housing for
the juveniles to prevent the risks of them engaging in delinquent behaviors, as well as provide
more information about how to make good decisions in their life to help them become better
individuals that will help others found in the same situation as them (Siegel, 2021).
Another example of a prevention and rehabilitation program is the bullying prevention
program (Impact Law). The program aims to help young adults avoid aggressive behaviors and
learn to respect others. The reason is that one of the highest crimes young adults commits is due
to their irrational behaviors. Another program has been based on increasing parent-children
interaction and engagement (Impact Law). The reason is that various research found that the
main factors that make young adults commit crimes are because they lack appropriate support
and guidance from parents. The delinquent's behaviors are a sign of a call for help to the parents
as the child is missing important aspects like love, support, or attention. Therefore, helping create
a positive relationship between the child and the parent will significantly reduce the probability
of the young adult engaging in delinquent behaviors. Other programs that aim to prevent juvenile
delinquencies focus on parental and infant care and support (Impact Law). The reason is that
early childhood development is linked to many delinquency behaviors of young adults. The way
6
a person is provided support and care when they are young will significantly affect their morale
and ethical perception. For example, when children at a young age are neglected and witness a
lot of violence, they are likely to display a lot of delinquency behaviors.
Conclusion
Juvenile delinquency is a big problem with many adverse effects on different
collaborators despite the availability of many preventive and rehabilitative measures to manage
them. Even though juvenile arrests have significantly reduced in the United States over the years,
the numbers remain significantly high. The high juvenile arrest rate still costs states billions of
dollars each year, and it is not effectively helping young adults rectify their actions and have a
chance to improve their lives as they grow up. Several strategies have helped reduce the rate of
juvenile arrests in United Sates over the years based on preventive and rehabilitative programs in
the community and the criminal justice system. Community educative and supportive programs
target young adults at risk of delinquency behaviors and offer resources, skills, and knowledge
they need to help show them why it is not appropriate to do different things that might result in
breaking the law. Developing more effective actions can help reduce the significance of the
problem in the future.
Recommendations
Scholars have found that multiple factors cause juvenile delinquency in contemporary
society. The problem is that multiple factors vary based on social demographical traits. Some
factors may be more prevalent among a specific group of people but are not the same for a
different group. It means that applying the same strategies to one geographical location or based
7
on a specific group of people may have different results because of the variation in the nature
and factors that cause juvenile delinquency in the two different groups of locations. It explains
why the problem remains even though multiple approaches can help prevent juvenile
delinquency. Due to this factor, using modern technology to understand the dynamics of juvenile
delinquency for better decision-making can act as an effective strategy to overcome the problem
(Brayne & Christin, 2021). For instance, the data record, retrieval, storage, and analysis software
can offer more specific trends and patterns that enhance informed decision-making in the
strategy utilized to prevent juvenile delinquency in a specific region.
Collaboration is another effective strategy that can further help prevent juvenile
delinquency (Becan et al., 2018). The multiple studies examining juvenile delinquency show that
it has an impact on almost all aspects of society. By this, it means that all the societal
collaborators like individuals, the local government, businesses, private entities, social service
institutes, juvenile delinquency correctional systems, and the educational system, among others.
Also, it shows that the lack of collaboration prevents the current prevention and rehabilitation
programs from effectively accomplishing their objective. The solutions developed are only based
on limited viewpoints of the field of study, while the problems and factors that cause juvenile
delinquencies are many and varying.
8
References
Becan, J. E., Bartkowski, J. P., Knight, D. K., Wiley, T. R., DiClemente, R., Ducharme, L., ... &
Aarons, G. A. (2018). A model for rigorously applying the Exploration, Preparation,
Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) framework in the design and measurement of a large-
scale collaborative multi-site study. Health & Justice, 6(1), 1-14.
Brayne, S., & Christin, A. (2021). Technologies of crime prediction: The reception of algorithms
in policing and criminal courts. Social Problems, 68(3), 608-624.
Gill, C., Weisburd, D., Telep, C. W., Vitter, Z., & Bennett, T. (2014). Community-oriented
policing to reduce crime, disorder, and fear and increase satisfaction and legitimacy among
citizens: A systematic review. Journal of experimental criminology, 10(4), 399-428.
Impact Law. "Juvenile Delinquency Prevention."
Lipsey, M. W., & Howell, J. C. (2012). A broader view of evidence-based programs reveals
more options for state juvenile justice systems. Criminology & Pub. Pol'y, 11, 515.
MacKenzie, D. L., & Farrington, D. P. (2015). Preventing future offending of delinquents and
offenders: what have we learned from experiments and meta-analyses?. Journal of
Experimental Criminology, 11(4), 565-595.
Mallett, C. A. (2018). Disproportionate minority contact in juvenile justice: Today's, and
yesterday, problems. Criminal justice studies, 31(3), 230-248.
9
Nisar, M., Ullah, S., Ali, M., & Alam, S. (2015). Juvenile delinquency: The Influence of family,
peer and economic factors on juvenile delinquents. Applied Science Reports, 9(1), 37-48.
Omoniyi, M. B. I. (2011). Juvenile Crimes and Its Counseling Implications. Journal of
Psychology, 2(1), 1-6.
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. (2019). "Statistical Briefing Book;
Juvenile Arrests". Retrieved from https://www.ojjdp.gov/ojstatbb/crime/qa05101.asp
Siegel, L. J. (2021). Juvenile Delinquency: The Core, Sixth Edition. United States of America
Sneed, T. (2014, Dec). What Youth Incarceration Costs Taxpayers. U.S News.
