How do you combat juvenile delinquency when psychologists believe "much of the delinquency grows out of the adolescents need to rebel against the restrictions of the adult world?" You can't dispose of adults. So why not eliminate adult restrictions? Yet, restrictions are imposed to offer to offer the framework for societal order. Without adult restrictions, all teenagers would be free to be delinquents. Yet, psychologists say the cause of delinquency stems from adult restrictions. Is this a double-edged sword? Or could you redirect or eliminate the adolescent need for rebellion? If so, you could curb delinquency.
Most juvenile offenders go on to become chronic offenders. Male juvenile delinquents are more likely to commit violent or serious crimes like rape, murder and armed robbery (Pancratz, p.7). Obviously, this has a damaging effect on society. Whereas females tend to commit less serious crimes like shop lifting, teenage males are the lifelines for drug trafficking. By being the main consumers, they have an inside handle on the drug culture. As crack babies are born and robberies and murders are committed, it becomes more clear how their drug use has a negative effect on society. Teenagers under the influence of drugs become more violent and rebellious in a world of adult restrictions. .
Along with authority conflict, parents" lack of quality time with their teenagers, divorced parents, alcoholic and abusive parents, inadequate schools, drugs and high unemployment create frustration in juveniles that turns to anger and eventually juvenile delinquency (Pancratz, p.7). The temptation of making easy money through drug trafficking is too hard to resist. In addition, boys have to deal with elevated levels of testosterone, machismo and a lack of boundaries. Girls have trouble dealing with poor social and economic status (Green and Stanford, p.162). They have a Cinderella attitude.
