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Juvenile Delinquency

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Juvenile delinquency is the act of criminal behavior by juveniles (usually someone under the age of eighteen) who can’t be prosecuted as adults. There is no clear way to fully prevent juveniles from committing crimes, just like there’s no way of stopping all crimes in adults. The purpose of trying juveniles in a separate system is to provide them with education and rehabilitation in hopes they won’t continue the criminal behavior as an adult. Statistics and studies in the last decade have proven that there are many successful ways of preventing crimes in our youth, and it not only involves parents but mentors in our schools and communities.
A 2008 study estimated that over 60% of children in the United States were exposed to violence, crime or abuse within that year. (Finkelhor, 2011) Regardless of whether it occurred in school, at home, or somewhere else, it just shows the huge effect that criminal behavior has on us at an early age. Although most of these crimes are surely not serious, juvenile offenders were known to be involved in 8% of all homicides in the United States in 2010. (OJJDP, 2012) It’s impossible to determine the motive of every single juvenile who commits a crime, just like it’s impossible to determine the motive of every adult. There are, however, many factors that may influence a juvenile to commit a crime.
Studies show social and cultural factors play a big role when it comes to determining why juveniles commit crimes. Poverty might cause a child to steal food for his family, or cause someone to steal designer clothing in order to fit in. Physical or sexual abuse may cause a child to grow up aggressive and ultimately commit a crime. The purpose of trying juveniles separate from adults is in hopes that by educating juveniles and providing rehabilitation they won’t commit a crime in the future. Rehabilitation can’t help every single person, but

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